PORTLAND, Ore. — The Linfield Wildcats fought hard but ultimately fell to Lewis & Clark 80-74 in a tightly contested Northwest Conference matchup Saturday night at Pamplin Sports Center. The Wildcats, now 18-6 overall and 9-6 in conference play, were led by standout performances from
Amelia Solt and
Allie Mead.
Solt poured in a team-high 18 points, including four three-pointers, while adding two rebounds and an assist. Mead contributed 15 points, four assists and three rebounds.
Miki Vermeulen added 12 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, providing a steady presence throughout the game.
Gillyan Landis chipped in 10 points and three rebounds, while
Eve Burke added six points and five rebounds.
Linfield started strong, taking a 25-22 lead after the first quarter, but Lewis & Clark responded with an 18-point second quarter to tie the game at 40 apiece at halftime.
Linfield came out of the locker with newfound motivation to begin the third quarter. The Wildcats outscored the Pioneers 17-13 in the third period, but lapsed on defense in the final period where Lewis & Clark poured in 27 points. Lauryn Frederickson led the comeback for the Pioneers, dropping 14 points in the fourth quarter and sealing the game with a pair of free throws.
Linfield shot 43.8% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 28.6% of their three-point attempts. The Wildcats outrebounded Lewis & Clark 35-34 btu struggled to find the basket on their second chance opportunities. Linfield also scored 40 points in the paint and 12 points off turnovers, but Lewis & Clark's bench outscored the Wildcats 21-13.
Frederickson's 23 points led the Pioneers as she added eight rebounds and three assists to the stat sheet. Kaitlen Carns poured in 19 points while Tatiana Rebanal added 13.
NEXT
Linfield prepares for NWC juggernaut Whitman who visits McMinnville on Friday night for an 8 p.m. tip with massive NWC implications.