McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Pacific Lutheran made a nine-point halftime lead stand up on the way to 56-52 decision over host Linfield on Saturday night in Ted Wilson Gymnasium for its first Northwest Conference women's basketball win of the season.
The Lutes, winners of four out of their last five, are now 4-7 overall and 1-3 in the conference, while Linfield falls to 1-8 overall and 0-3 in the NWC.
Pacific Lutheran built a 33-24 halftime lead, and it was a pair of seldom-used freshmen that provided a huge boost.
Michaela Edgers, a 6-foot 4-inch post from Illinois, scored six points and grabbed three rebounds, while Samantha Schubach, a 5-foot 6-inch guard who played her prep basketball just down the street from the PLU campus at Washington High, hit a pair of three-point field goals for six points.
The Lutes broke away from a 13-13 tie on Schubach's second triple with 11:26 to play in the half, and they played add on through the remainder of the period. Edgers gave Pacific Lutheran a double-digit lead at 33-22 with a short jump hook from the right side of the lane with 1:19 left in the half, and PLU took a 33-24 edge into the intermission.
Megan Abdo drilled a three-pointer less than 10 seconds into the second half to the Lutes on top 36-24, their biggest advantage of the evening. Linfield responded with 12 of the next 14 points, eight by Kaely Maltman, to cut its deficit to two at 38-36 with 14:23 to play.
When Taylor Solomon hit a three-point shot, the Wildcats were within a point at 46-45 with 5:53 on the clock, but PLU didn't allow them to score again until Maltman hit a free throw with 1:25 to play. Meanwhile, Pacific Lutheran extended its lead to 52-45 on Kara Sherman's short jumper with 2:30 to play.
The game came down to free throws inside the final minute. Austin Schorno hit four of six attempts inside the final 42 seconds as the Lutes iced up the victory.
Sherman scored 12 points and added four rebounds and three assists to lead the Lutes, who also got 10 points from Katelyn Smith and eight points and eight rebounds from Samantha Potter. PLU shot 40 percent (21-for-53) from the field and 61 percent (11-for-18) from the foul line.
Linfield, on the other hand, shot 41 percent (21-for-51) from the field but was a woeful 36 percent (6-for-17) at the foul line. Rebounding was fairly even with PLU owning a 40-36 advantage.
Maltman scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Katelyn Hensen added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Wildcats.
PLU returns to conference action at 6 p.m. next Friday when it hosts the Pacific Boxers in Olson Auditorium.
- PLU -