NEWBERG, Ore. — The Linfield Wildcats avenged an early season loss to George Fox with a hard-fought 63-54 comeback victory on Friday night at Wheeler Sports Center. With the win, Linfield breaks the tie with George Fox in the NWC standings to stand alone in second place.
The Wildcats overcame a sluggish start, trailing 22-7 after the first quarter, but rallied behind a 19-2 run that extended across halftime into the third quarter to take the lead.
Sophomore guard
Allie Mead led the Wildcats with 19 points, including a two crucial three-pointers that gave momentum to the Wildcats. Mead also contributed five rebounds and three assists, playing a pivotal role in Linfield's comeback. Junior
Miki Vermeulen added 18 points, four rebounds, and an assist, while senior
Gillyan Landis chipped in 10 points and four rebounds, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the field.
Linfield's defense was instrumental in turning the tide. The Wildcats forced 14 turnovers and held George Fox to just 33.9% shooting from the field.
Eve Burke was a standout on both ends, finishing with six points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, including a key rejection in the second quarter that sparked the comeback.
After falling behind early, Linfield began to chip away at the deficit in the second quarter, outscoring George Fox 16-8 to cut the lead to 30-23 at halftime. The Wildcats continued their surge in the third quarter, taking the lead on a layup by Burke. Linfield never looked back, extending their lead to as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter.
Linfield shot 49% from the field and 44.4% from behind the arc. The Wildcats also scored 36 points in the paint compared to the Bruins' 28 and 11 fast-break points while George Fox managed just three.
NEXT
Linfield will look to build on this momentum as it continues to push for a NWC title. The Wildcats return to action Saturday night at home against Pacific at 6 p.m. in Ted Wilson Gymnasium.