WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- On a night when the offenses struggled, senior sharpshooter Jennifer Keyes drilled three 3-pointers late in the game to lift Whitman College to a 62-52 Northwest Conference victory over Linfield Friday night in Sherwood Center.

Whitman, winning its fourth straight game, improved to 3-2 in the NWC and 7-7 overall.

Keyes

Linfield, losing its ninth consecutive game to Whitman, slipped to 2-3 in conference and 8-6 on the season.

With the game knotted at 42-42 with eight minutes left to play, sophomore Meghan White soared high for an offensive rebound and scored to trigger a seven-point Missionary spree that included a 3-point strike by sophomore Kelly Peterson.

After Peterson knocked down two free throws, Keyes hit from the 3-point arc for a 52-43 lead with five minutes left. She hit twice more from long distance over the next two minutes to vault Whitman into a 60-47 advantage.

With Whitman up 62-47 and a minute remaining, Linfield's Gretchen Owens tallied the game's final five points to complete the scoring.

Jenele Peterson splits the defense                                                   Greg Lehman photos

Keyes finished her night with a season-high 16 points and four rebounds. Peterson added nine points and four boards, while three of her teammates -- senior Anna Forge and sophomores Sarah Anderegg and Meghan White -- chipped in with eight points each.

White and junior Mary Madden snared six rebounds apiece to help Whitman out-rebound the Wildcats 45-41.

Senior point guard Jenele Peterson who leads the NWC in assists, handed out eight more Missionary helpers.

Owens, who started the night with an NWC-leading 20.8 points-per-game scoring average, was eight from 18 from the floor while collecting a game-high 19 points. She also had six rebounds and five assists.

Kaely Maltman added 15 points and seven boards for the Wildcats while Katelyn Henson was good for 10 points and six rebounds.

Owens, Maltman and Henson combined to score all but eight of Linfield's points.

To start the night, Whitman made five of its first nine shots from the floor in taking a 12-7 lead six minutes in the first half. Keyes contributed the first of her four 3-pointers to the early run, which included points from four other Missionaries.

After Linfield tallied six straight points to lead 13-12, getting nine quick points from Maltman, Whitman pulled away on a four-minute 11-0 run to take command at 23-13 with seven minutes left before halftime.

A pair of Forge jumpers wrapped around a Madden basket capped the Missionary breakaway.

Kelly Peterson

The Wildcats closed to within 28-24 but Kelly Peterson connected on a short baseline jumper inside the final minute to send Whitman to recess with a 30-24 cushion.

Linfield turned the ball over on its final possession of the half, eliciting ongoing complaints from the Wildcat bench. Coach Robin Potera-Haskins drew a technical before officials headed to the locker room.

Keyes took and made one of the two ensuing technical free throws just prior to the second half, extending the Missionary lead to 32-24 as the final 20 minutes started.

Five points from Owens and four consecutive baskets by Henson gave Linfield its only lead of the night at 39-38 at the 10:41 mark.

Whitman reclaimed the lead on Anderegg's jumper and a Forge layup, but Aimee Taniguchi's three-point evened the slate again at 42-all.

That's when the Missionary offense came to life behind White's offensive rebound putback, five points from Kelly Peterson and the string of three long-distance strikes by Keyes.

Whitman stays at home Saturday to host Pacific at 6 p.m. Linfield is in Spokane on Saturday for a 6 p.m. game against Whitworth.

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu