FOREST GROVE, Ore. - Linfield defeated Southwestern 75-57 in a hard-fought matchup as part of the Ken Schumann Classic, hosted by Pacific, at the Stoller Center on Friday night. The Wildcats improved to 4-0 on the season, their best start in the
Casey Bunn-Wilson era and the program's best start since the 2007 season, while Southwestern dropped to 0-4.
Linfield's strong offensive performance was led by
Miki Vermeulen, who scored 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc. Vermeulen also contributed nine rebounds and three assists, whil showing her defensive versatility with three blocks and two steals.
Amelia Solt had an impressive outing, finishing with 14 points, including four three-pointers, and added one steal and one rebound.
Allison Mead was pivotal in the win, putting up 10 points while contributing seven assists, four rebounds, and three steals.
Eve Burke added valuable defense, recording 1 block and 4 rebounds.
Linfield's defense was key to the win, as they recorded five blocks and seven steals. The Wildcats dominated the boards, out-rebounding Southwestern 43-22, with a notable advantage in offensive rebounds (14 to 7). Despite being plagued with 20 turnovers, Linfield was able to hold the Pirates to just 57 points on 37.7% shooting.
Southwestern's offense ran through Lauren Stevens, who scored 24 points, while Adrianna McCoy added 13 points. However, the Pirates struggled offensively, especially in the third quarter, where they were limited to just seven points. Linfield capitalized on this slump, extending their lead and sealing the game with a 12-4 run to close the game.
NEXT
Linfield takes on Concordia-Texas Saturday afternoon in the Ken Schumann Classic as it looks to extend the winning streak to five and secure its best start since the 2005 season where the Wildcats started 6-0.