WALLA WALLA, Wash. – After a valiant effort in a back-and-forth contest, Linfield came up short in a 54-45 loss to the seventh-ranked Whitman Blues Saturday night at Sherwood Center.
Linfield led after the first quarter but struggled to maintain momentum as Whitman surged in the second half to secure the win.
Allie Mead and
Gillyan Landis led the Wildcats' offensive efforts, each scoring 13 points. Mead added four rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes, while Landis grabbed three rebounds and made a key three-pointer in the first quarter.
Amelia Solt also reached double digits, scoring 10 points with two assists in a team-high 39 minutes. Despite shooting 39.5% from the field, including 38.9% from beyond the arc, the Wildcats' offense struggled in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter, when they scored just five points.
Eve Burke added nine points, and
Miki Vermeulen grabbed three rebounds, but the Wildcats couldn't capitalize on their free throws, hitting just four of their eight attempts. Linfield also turned the ball over 19 times, contributing to 18 points off turnovers for Whitman.
Whitman, led by Korin Baker's 20 points and 11 rebounds, capitalized on their size advantage, outscoring Linfield 34-20 in the paint. Carly Martin had 17 points for the Blues, and Natalie Lundberg contributed five points, seven rebounds, and five assists. The Blues shot 42.3% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line, which helped them pull away in the second half.
After Linfield took a 10-point lead into the intermission, Whitman began to take control in the third quarter, outscoring Linfield 18-10. The Blues' defense limited Linfield's scoring in the second half, with the Wildcats scoring just 15 points in the final 20 minutes. Despite the loss, Whitman's 54 points marked the lowest point total for the Blues in conference play this season.
NEXT
Linfield travels to George Fox on Friday for another key Northwest Conference game against the Bruins at 8 p.m.