McMINNVILLE, Ore. - In a hard-fought contest at Ted Wilson Gymnasium, the Linfield Wildcats were edged out by the Puget Sound Loggers, 54-47, on Friday night. Despite a strong start, Linfield struggled to regain their momentum after a tough second quarter and couldn't regain the lead throughout the game.
The game began with a tight first period as both teams traded baskets. The Wildcats were paced by sophomore
Allie Mead, who had an impressive game with 15 points, hitting 6-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. Linfield's defense was active as well, forcing 15 turnovers and scoring 13 points off the Loggers' mistakes.
Puget Sound, led by Emme Eisenman and Carmen Cruz, dominated the second quarter. Eisenman played a pivotal role for the Loggers with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Cruz added another 10 points, including a pair of crucial jumpers that kept Puget Sound in control late in the game.
The third quarter saw Linfield mount a bit of a comeback, outscoring Puget Sound 16-15. The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair, but Linfield could not regain the lead. A key sequence came with under five minutes to go when Savannah Pohl hit a jumper to push the Loggers' lead back into double digits. Linfield made one last push with a late three-pointer from Mead, but Puget Sound's defense was too strong to crack.
Gillyan Landis was a standout for Linfield, finishing with a double-double, contributing 13 points and 12 rebounds. Despite her efforts, the Wildcats were unable to cut the deficit enough to fully recover. Landis also had multiple key free throws, finishing 7-of-8 from the line.
Miki Vermeulen also contributed four points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, Puget Sound's bench stepped up, contributing 20 points in total, compared to five from Linfield's reserves.
NEXT
Linfield continues its quest for a conference tournament appearance on Saturday night when Pacific Lutheran visits McMinnville at 6 p.m.