McMINNVILLE, Ore. - The Linfield Wildcats celebrated a historic night with a dominant 74-50 victory over Pacific on Saturday night at Ted Wilson Gymnasium. The win marked Linfield's 16th of the season, a milestone not achieved since the 1999-2000 campaign, and solidified its place as one of the top teams in the Northwest Conference.
The Wildcats were led by a balanced offensive attack and a standout performance from senior
Gillyan Landis, who etched her name into the program's record books. Landis became the 10th player in Linfield women's basketball history to reach 1,000 career points, finishing the game with nine points, three rebounds, and two assists. With 1,002 career points, she now ranks ninth on Linfield's all-time scoring list.
Amelia Solt was the game's leading scorer, pouring in a season-high 21 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting, and catching fire from deep, going 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Solt also added two rebounds and two assists in her best performance this season.
Tana Hoekema provided a strong presence in the paint, contributing 11 points and nine rebounds, while
Jayden Ray added eight points off the bench.
Linfield's defense was equally impressive, holding Pacific to just 26.3% shooting from the field. The Wildcats forced seven turnovers and dominated the boards, outrebounding the Boxers 45-26, including a 36-16 advantage on the defensive glass.
Miki Vermeulen and
Eve Burke anchored the defensive effort, combining for three blocks and two steals while Landis added two more blocks.
The Wildcats took control early, building a 16-11 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 40-26 by halftime. Linfield's offense continued to click in the second half, with Solt and Hoekema leading the charge. The Wildcats shot 51% from the field for the game and connected on 20-of-22 free throws.
Pacific was led by Shaade Williams, who scored 16 points, and Emily Holsan, who added 10 points and four rebounds. However, the Boxers struggled to keep pace with Linfield's relentless attack and defensive pressure.
Saturday night was Linfield's second matchup with Pacific this season and the Wildcats pulled away for 20-point wins in both contests.
NEXT
Linfield returns to action Friday night against Puget Sound at home where the Wildcats are 7-1 this season. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Ted Wilson Gymnasium.