TACOMA, Wash. - A 10-0 run late in the game ultimately sealed Pacific Lutheran University's fate on Saturday evening inside Olson Gymnasium, getting edged 80-74 by Linfield College in a wild Northwest Conference women's basketball tilt featuring 13 lead changes and nine ties. 

A Katie Taylor layup with 3:45 remaining in the game gave the Lutes (11-7, 4-6 NWC) a slim 65-63 advantage but the visiting Wildcats (10-9, 6-4 NWC) answered with a three-pointer 41-seconds later to kick off a 10-0 run to seize a 73-65 advantage with one minute to play. MacKenzie Cooper canned a three to bring the deficit to just five with 54 ticks left but four free throws over the next 21 seconds put Linfield up nine. Taylor drained a three and drew a foul to convert a four-point play, bringing the Lutes within four with 17 ticks left but it proved too little too late as Linfield held on for the win.

Taylor hit a three for the game's opening points as the Lutes raced out to an 8-4 lead just over two minutes into the game. The Wildcats would answer with an 18-7 run to close the quarter, enjoying a 22-15 edge after 10 minutes of play. Linfield's advantage ballooned to 10 with 3:12 left before the half but Pacific Lutheran mounted an 11-1 run to close the half, heading into the locker room deadlocked at 36. Taylor scored the opening five points of the run while Anna Hurd made a three the old fashioned way with one second left to knot the score, hitting a jumper and a free throw.

Madison Salisbury scored the opening two buckets of the third quarter but when the dust settled on the frame, Linfield had a 58-54 lead heading into the final quarter. Neither team led by more than five until Linfield's decisive run late in the fourth to secure the victory. 

Taylor and Salisbury were a one-two punch for the Lutes combining for 45 points. Taylor hit four three-pointers and finished with a game-high 25 points while securing five rebounds while Salisbury added 20 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Cooper added eight points while Hurd had eight points, six boards, and four assists.

"Katie played with a ton of heart today," said Head Coach Jennifer Childress. "She's tough to guard because she can shoot outside and post you up on the block."

PLU held a 44-41 rebounding edge, including a 13-8 spread on offensive boards but was outdone by the Wildcats at the charity stripe and in bench production. Linfield hit more free throws (18) than the Lutes had attempts (17) while enjoying a 28-9 edge in bench scoring, despite utilizing just three non-starters in the game.

The Lutes are back on the court on Friday, opening the month of February in Salem, Oregon against Willamette University.