MCMINNVILLE, — A 10-0 run spanning both halves turned the tide in favor of the hosts in the Northwest Conference opener on Friday evening with the Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team falling short 65-55 to Linfield University inside Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
 
Ava Edmonds came off the bench and dropped 19 points in just 20 minutes of action but it wasn't enough as the Lutes saw its four game win streak come to a halt in Oregon.
 
The host Wildcats (3-3, 1-0 NWC) sprinted out to an early 7-2 lead just over two minutes into the game. The Lutes (4-2, 0-1 NWC) battled back— tying the game on a Taylor Schmidtke and-one play, getting a layup and a free throw to tie the game at 19 with 8:30 left in the second quarter. 
 
Linfield reclaimed the lead and led 28-23 midway through the second quarter before the Lutes scored the next eight points to take a 31-28 lead with 2:43 left before halftime. Brandie Tobin hit a pair of free throws to start the run before getting treys from both Edmonds and Tobin. 
 
The Wildcats responded with a three of their own to tie the game on the ensuing possession, building a 33-31 halftime advantage and part of a larger 10-0 run that spanned both halves. 
 
An Ashley Akamine three knifed the deficit to just two with 5:15 left in the third but Linfield quickly answered and enjoyed an 11-point buffer heading into the final 10 minutes. 
 
A Raylie Wardenaar three with 68 seconds left reduced the gap to just four points but the Wildcats hit six free throws down the stretch to hang on for the 10-point win.

"We got outplayed tonight plain and simple. We didn't execute our scout well and it showed," said Head Coach Lee Aduddell. 

"We're learning how to be consistent and what I know this team will go back to work and prepare to play UPS Tuesday."
 
Edmonds led all scorers with 19 points, shooting seven-for-12 from the field with four rebounds.  Tobin tallied 15 points with seven rebounds and three assists while Akamine tallied nine points.
 
PLU is back on the hardwood on Tuesday night, making the short commute across town to face the University of Puget Sound. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.