The Linfield women’s basketball team met Cal Lutheran and Wheaton College in Newberg for their first two games of the season. While they lost both, they still played well and showed promise for the rest of the season.
Linfield’s first game ended in a 74-57 loss to Wheaton College. The loss looks bad on paper, but the team showed tremendous improvement throughout the game. They were outscored by 17 in the first half, but managed to keep it even in the second.
Senior forward Kaeley Maltman was the high point getter for the Wildcats, as she put up 21 points and added 7 rebounds. She also recorded two blocks, three steals, and one assist.
Junior center Katelyn Henson was the one pulling down all of the boards, adding up 10 total rebounds.
Linfield made 37.5% of their shots, with the majority of their misses coming from the late minutes of the first half. They also shot 65% from the free throw line and 16.7% from beyond the arch.
Linfield lost 69-61 in their game against Cal Lutheran, but showed improvement from first half to second. Just like the first game, they were outscored significantly in the first half. But they came out firing in the second outscoring their opponent by nine.
Maltman and Henson were the stars of the game again, combining for 37 points and 18 rebounds.
Freshman guard Riley Graham also had a solid game, scoring nine and dishing out two assists. She also pulled down five rebounds during her 35 minutes on the floor.
The Wildcats will play Corban College and Evergreen State College next. They will first take on Corban at 7 p.m. on Nov. 20, here in the Ted Wilson Gymnasium, followed by Evergreen at 6 p.m. on Nov. 22. That game will also be played at home.
They hope to find a way to play like they have in the second half of their first two games and bounce back for two wins.
Drew Mahrt/Senior sports reporter
