Women Wildcats Knock Off Pirates, 60-47

Linfield forced 20 first-half turnovers and held the Pirates to 2 for 19 shooting from beyond the 3-point line.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

SPOKANE, Wash. - Guards Casey Stepan and Brihtani Lassiter keyed a solid all-around effort, leading the Linfield Wildcats to an uplifting 60-47 Northwest Conference victory over the Whitworth Pirates Friday night at Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Wildcats won at the Fieldhouse for the first time in seven seasons. Linfield’s last win on the Pirates’ home floor was Jan. 15th, 2000, when Linfield carved out a 72-61 victory.

The win helped erase the bad memory of a 27-point home court blowout the Wildcats suffered last week at the hands of Pacific Lutheran.

Stepan scored 14 points, Lassiter netted 13, and Sara Burgoyne and Porcia Jackson each added 10 for the Wildcats, who avenged a 50-45 home loss to the Pirates in early January.

The Wildcats, who led for virtually the entire game, forged a 25-21 halftime advantage.

Linfield forced 20 first-half turnovers and held the Pirates to 2 for 19 shooting from beyond the 3-point line.

Kate Stadeli swept the glass for a game-high 10 rebounds while chipping in with seven points.

Linfield shot .404 for the game to the Pirates .283.

Alida Bower scored 12 points and corralled seven rebounds for the Pirates.

Linfield improved to 10-9 and 5-6 in the NWC. Whitworth dropped to 12-8 and 6-5.

The Wildcats visit Walla Walla Saturday where they’ll battle the Whitman Missionaries in a 4:00 PM game at Sherwood Center.

Whitworth hosts George Fox Saturday at 6:00 PM.

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports