By Jake Bilyeu, PLU Sports Information Student Writer
McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield pulled out to a big early lead, and the Wildcats held off the Pacific Lutheran comeback attempt in the second half as PLU fell 67-53 in Northwest Conference women's basketball action Friday night at Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
"Linfield was able to disrupt our offensive flow," PLU head coach Jennifer Childress said. "We forced a lot of shots and rushed our half court sets."
Ionna Price led PLU with 17 points and eight rebounds, as she made six of her nine shot attempts and went 5-of-5 at the free throw line. Samantha Kelleigh shot 4-of-5 from three-point range to total 12 points, while Megan Abdo scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds. Quincy Gibson led Linfield with 16 points, while Hannah Depew scored 14 and Jessica McMillan tallied 13.
Pacific Lutheran (5-7, 1-2 NWC) got off to a slow start controlling the ball early on, as four turnovers in the first six possessions allowed Linfield (8-4, 1-2 NWC) to jump out to an early 9-2 lead. The Lutes were able to keep pace through the rest of the quarter, but a buzzer beater from the Wildcats' Audrey McMillan ended the quarter with PLU trailing 16-8.
The Lutes kept the score close in the second quarter through the first few minutes, pulling within five points before a 15-2 Linfield run put the Wildcats up 31-13 late in the period. A three-pointer by Kelleigh ended the streak and sparked a 6-2 run for the Lutes as Kelleigh closed the half with another three to make it 33-19 going into halftime.
Pacific Lutheran scored the first three points of the third quarter as they worked to chip away at their deficit for much of the period, but Linfield mostly matched the Lutes bucket for bucket. Toward the end of the quarter, though, another three-pointer from Kelleigh and a jumper by Price brought the Lutes within 10, as they entered the final quarter trailing 40-30.
Linfield opened the fourth quarter with six straight points as the Wildcats tried to seal the win, but a Sarah Barnes layup sparked an 8-1 PLU run that made it a single-digit game midway through the final period. That was the closest the Lutes could get, however, as PLU reached nine points back twice more in the final minutes before the Wildcats used eight free throws in the final minute to clinch the win.
"We played very tentative," Childress said. "Tomorrow we will need to play much more composed, as George Fox will press us for all 40 minutes."
The Lutes will take on third-ranked George Fox Saturday at 4 p.m. in Newberg.
