MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield dropped a hard-fought match against Pacific Lutheran, 3-1, at the Linfield Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon. A late goal by
Julia Alvarez gave the Wildcats a glimmer of hope, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Lutes' offensive pressure.
Pacific Lutheran struck early with Liv Olson finding the back of the net just seven minutes into the contest, assisted by former Wildcat,
Bella Hanna. Hannah Cecil added to the Lutes' lead in the 26th minute, converting a cross from Katelyn McDougal and Kiana Gutierrez. Cecil struck again early in the second half, extending Pacific Lutheran's lead to 3-0.
Linfield struggled to generate offensive chances but showed resilience in the final minutes. Alvarez broke through in the 83rd minute with a well-placed shot, her fourth goal of the season, cutting the deficit to two. Despite the momentum, the Wildcats were unable to find the net again.
Maddie Funk played all 90 minutes in goal for Linfield, recording one save, while Pacific Lutheran's Abby Winkler made one save to secure the win for the Lutes.
Linfield was limited to just three total shots, with
Mia Curtaz and
Jordan Stoner both registering attempts, but it was Alvarez's lone shot on goal that made the difference. On the defensive side,
Rae Gerking and
Jenna Stanley played the entirety of Saturday's match, anchoring a backline that was tested by Pacific Lutheran's relentless attack.
NEXT
Linfield takes the pitch again on Sunday against Puget Sound at the Linfield Complex with kickoff at 2:45 p.m.
