At the midway point in the conference season for men's and women's soccer, and volleyball, the Wildcats look to move up in the conference standings. Men's and women's golf wrapped up their Fall portion of the 2025-26 school year, the men's team finished the lone NWC event of the Fall with a third-place finish, while the women finished in seventh. Linfield earned a season-high three NWC weekly award honorees, capturing the Volleyball Defensive, Football Defensive, and Football Special Teams Athletes of the Week. 
Following the mid-week matchups, the weekend serves as an off-week for soccer and volleyball, leaving cross country and football to compete this Saturday. 
 
VOLLEYBALL
 Wildcat volleyball (6-7, 4-4 NWC) enters the week riding a two-match win streak, and sitting just one match behind Pacific Lutheran and Whitman for tied third in the Northwest Conference standings. Linfield took down Lewis & Clark on the road last Friday in five sets, before sweeping George Fox in straight sets on Homecoming, Saturday. 
Freshman Naia Alefaio-Foifua tied the program record for aces in a single match with eight against the Bruins last weekend. She leads the Wildcats defensively, ranking third in the conference in digs per set. The libero enters the week after winning her third NWC Defensive Athlete of the Week honor. Junior outside hitter Nora Myre also continues to be a versatile player for the 'Cats, leading the team in kills, while also racking up double-digit digs and multiple blocks in each match. 
 
The matchup:
Tuesday, October 14 | 7 p.m. 
vs Pacific (4-9, 1-7 NWC) | Ted Wilson Gymnasium
Watch live and on-demand here: https://www.flocollege.com/schools/6469740-linfield-university
 
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Wildcat women's soccer (7-2-4, 5-2-2 NWC) has already surpassed their win total from a season ago, entering the week on a two-game winning streak. Linfield defeated George Fox at home last Saturday, then senior Mia Curtaz scored the game-winning penalty kick at Lewis & Clark to keep the 'Cats in sole possession of third-place in the conference, just one point behind Puget Sound in second. 
Lena Caballero Uhtoff tallied three points last week, scoring and assisting on the 'Cats two goals against George Fox. Goalkeeper Alexa Fritz remains tied atop the NWC ranks in shutouts, earning two last week to bring her season total to six. 
 
The matchup:
Wednesday, October 15 | 5 p.m. 
Vs Pacific (3-3-6, 2-1-6 NWC) | Linfield Soccer/Lacrosse Complex
Watch live and on-demand here: https://www.flocollege.com/schools/6469740-linfield-university
 
MEN'S SOCCER
Men's soccer (1-10-2, 1-6-2 NWC) continues to be led by the offense, scoring 2+ goals in each of the last four matches, going 1-2-1 in that span. The Wildcats leaned on production from Ross Vargo and Julian Lara-Martinez, each scoring in last week's matches. This week, the 'Cats look to avenge a 1-0 loss on the road at Pacific to open Northwest Conference play.
 
The matchups:
Wednesday, October 15 | 7:45 p.m. 
Vs Pacific (2-6-4, 2-4-3 NWC) | Linfield Soccer/Lacrosse Complex
Watch live and on-demand here: https://www.flocollege.com/schools/6469740-linfield-university
 
CROSS COUNTRY
Linfield men's and women's cross country teams return to action after a week off, hosting the annual George Oja Invitational in Salem, Oregon. Freshmen Mya Budzik and Marco Stroman have led the 'Cats in each of the first four meets of the season. The teams aims to welcome back Mia McCormack and Orion Bretherton to prepare for the Northwest Conference Championships in a pair of weeks in Tacoma, Washington. The NWC meet will be at the PLU Meadows, a course that the 'Cats are familiar with from earlier this season.
 
Next Up:
Saturday, October 18 | Salem, Ore. | Oak Knoll Golf Course
George Oja Invitational
 
FOOTBALL
Linfield football (3-1, 2-0 NWC) is back at home for a second-consecutive week, set to host the Whitworth Pirates (3-2, 2-0 NWC) on Maxwell Field. The 'Cats defense shined in a 23-6 win over Pacific last weekend, led by defensive back Max Kirsch who made two interceptions and four tackles, earning NWC Defensive Athlete of the Week, and D3Football.com Team of the Week, for his performance. Senior kicker Gavin Dalziel made three field goals and added a pair of extra points to claim NWC Special Teams Athlete of the Week. The three field goals helped Dalziel set a new program record for field goals made with 37 (previously 36). 
Linfield has an all-time record against Whitworth of 41-7-2 in a series dating back to 1952. Linfield won the last meeting, 34-7 in 2024 in Spokane … the most recent meeting in McMinnville was Whitworth's 28-24 victory in 2023 … Linfield has won 15 of the last 17 meetings … the first meeting was a 13-13 tie in McMinnville on October 4, 1952 … Linfield has a 20-2-2 record against Whitworth in McMinnville and a 20-5 record against the Pirates in Spokane … Linfield's widest margin was 61-0 in 1966 in McMinnville; the Wildcats' widest margin in Spokane was 35 points, 49-14 in 1982. Whitworth's widest margin was 34 points, 41-7 in 1954 in Spokane; both the Pirates' wins in McMinnville have been by 4 points, 17-13 in 2006 and 28-24 in 2023 … one of the games in the series was in the postseason: in 2015 Linfield won 48-10 in McMinnville in the NCAA Division III playoffs first round …
(Kip Carlson)
 
The matchup:
Saturday, October 18 | 1 p.m. | Maxwell Field
Vs Whitworth (3-2, 2-0 NWC)
Watch live and on-demand here: https://www.flocollege.com/schools/6469740-linfield-university
 
LINFIELD SPORTS NETWORK ON FLOSPORTS
This summer, the Northwest Conference and its nine affiliated institutions announced an exclusive media rights partnership, bringing nearly all NWC broadcasted sports to the FloSports platform for the foreseen future. This deal now requires fans, families, and students to purchase a subscription to the platform to view Wildcat sports live and on-demand. 
To learn more about FloSports, the Linfield Sports Network, how to subscribe, and even how to get a discounted subscription, visit: https://golinfieldwildcats.com/news/2025/8/29/general-interest-wildcats-home-openers-one-week-away-flosports-streams-on-deck.aspx


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