McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield dropped a 60-46 contest to conference leader Whitman on Friday night at Ted Wilson Gymnasium. Despite the loss, Linfield remains in strong position, having already clinched a spot in the Northwest Conference tournament.
Whitman controlled the tempo early, using a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to seize a 16-10 lead. Linfield struggled offensively in the second quarter, allowing Whitman to extend the margin to 37-23 at halftime behind eight first half points form Korin Baker.
Linfield's strongest push came in the third quarter when the team matched Whitman's scoring with 13 points each and closed the gap to five points at the start of the fourth quarter.
Amelia Solt chipped in eight points and dished out two assists, showing resilience in Linfield's backcourt. However, turnovers plagued the Wildcats throughout the night, as they committed 23 miscues that led to 26 points for Whitman.
Linfield found production from
Allie Mead who led the Wildcats with 15 points and four steals, while
Eve Burke contributed 10 points and seven rebounds. The Wildcats' bench contributed with
Tana Hoekema scoring eight points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Despite their efforts, the Wildcats couldn't overcome Whitman's depth and rebounding advantage (36-24).
Baker paced Whitman with a game-high 21 points and 15 rebounds, dominating the paint and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities. Carly Martin added 16 points and two steals for the Blues, who maintained their unbeaten conference record.
NEXT
With the regular-season finale on the horizon, Linfield looks to regain momentum and honor its seniors with a victory. The Wildcats will host their final regular season game at 6 p.m. on Saturday against Whitworth at Ted Wilson Gymnasium.