Photo by Meghan Meehan/For the Review
Matt Jonathan
For the Review
Linfield’s women’s lacrosse team came into its first home game of the season with optimistic expectations for a tough game against Kenyon College in Ohio.
Although fighting valiantly throughout the game, Linfield lost, 17-4.
Kenyon came out with guns blazing, scoring six goals in the first 15 minutes. Linfield would grab a goal of their own after 20 minutes when sophomore attacker Jaime Mertz took the score to 9-1.
Mertz snatched the ball from the middle of the field, weaving through three defenders before whipping past the Kenyon goalkeeper.
Kenyon wouldn’t let up, however, and quickly responded with five goals, three of which came in the last minute of the half, leaving the score 14-1 at halftime.
Linfield came out tough in the second half, only allowing three goals and scoring three themselves.
Freshman attacker Tarie Caouette scored two goals and Mertz grabbed a second. Linfield stood resolutely against the Kenyon attackers and the final score was 17-4.
Coming out of its first tournament of the year last weekend, the women’s lacrosse team looked forward to its first home game of the season.
Linfield participated in the Pacific Play Day March 1. The ’Cats came out of the tournament with a 2-3 record.
Linfield began the tournament against Pacific University and took the game, 6-4, which was followed by a 7-4 win over the Portland Winded, a local club team. Despite a winning start, Linfield lost the next three games.
The first loss came after a close battle against the Portland Women, another club team, with the final score 6-5. Linfield lost to the University of Puget Sound, 6-4, and Seattle Women, 6-5.
Four Wildcats stood out on the scoring charts for Linfield, including Mertz, Caouette, junior attacker Michelle Dorris and freshman attacker Monique Shreiber.
“We had great defensive communication,” Shreiber said. “We were patient and had good offensive movement. We’re getting more fluid playing together.”
However, she feels there are a couple areas that can be improved.
“We could transition faster and cut down on needless penalties,” Shreiber said.
Mertz was the leading goal scorer for the ’Cats last year, racking up 41 goals and a scoring percentage of 47.
Veteran juniors Rebecca Levy and Callie Martin will help lead the team, along with sophomores Claire Carter, Sonia Huggins, and Amber Brown. The ’Cats have a good young group of players, with only four juniors and no seniors.
Linfield will play a total of eight home games this season, including the game against Kenyon.
