PARKLAND - Pacific Lutheran ended a long scoreless streak with a first half goal by Sarah Gamache, but visiting Linfield turned up the heat in the second half Saturday to beat the Lutes, 3-1, in Northwest Conference women's soccer action at the PLU field.

The Wildcats trailed 1-0 at the intermission but got second half tallies from Anna Sours, Zoe Langsdorf and MacKenzie Doty to improve their overall record to 7-2-2 and their conference mark to 4-1-2. PLU, which came into the game in a four-match scoring drought, snapped that string, but couldn't put an end to a losing streak. The Lutes have now dropped six in a row, all in conference action, and are 2-7 overall and 1-6 in the NWC.

Gamache, a frosh forward out of Tacoma's Wilson High School, had been the last PLU player to score in a match until today. She got the team's long goal in a 3-1 home loss to Willamette on Sept. 18, and she netted the first goal today with a brilliant left-footed strike from the top of the box at the 25:09 mark. Dribbling with her favored right foot, Gamache switched the ball to her left and hit a rocket into the upper left corner of the goal, leaving Linfield keeper Apolonia Martinez with no chance.

The Lutes were rewarded for stretches of good possession and solid play with the 1-0 halftime lead, though the 'Cats did squander a couple of very good chances in the opening 45 minutes.

After out-shooting the Lutes by a 10-3 margin in the opening half, Linfield had much of the possession in the final period, as indicated by a 15-3 advantage in shots.

Sours tied the game at 1-1, stealing the ball, taking one touch and firing past PLU keeper Lauren Chambard and into the upper right corner. Linfield made it 2-1 when Sours hit a long ball over the PLU defense. Initially the Lutes were able to stop Langsdorf, but the ball fell at her feet and she pushed it past Chambard at 64:10.

The final goal came at 73:04 and was the handiwork of Linfield midfielder Christine Tamamoto, whose through ball was finished by Doty.

Chambard finished the game with seven saves and she was also helped by her defense, which cleared another ball off the line. Linfield finished with 25 total shots, 11 on goal, and it had a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks.

Martinez had one save as the Lutes finished with six total shots, including two on goal.

PLU returns to conference action at noon on Sunday when it hosts the George Fox Bruins.

- PLU -