Senior overcomes injuries for final season

Mikenna Whatley, Features Editor

On the night of Feb. 20 the Linfield women’s basketball team beat the Willamette Bearcats 52-46 in their last home game of the season.

It was senior night for Taylor Solomon, the team’s one and only senior this season. Players referred to the night as #TayDay and #DayOfTay.

“Not one time have I had to tell Taylor Solomon to hustle or work harder,” Linfield Women’s Basketball Head Coach Robin Potera-Haskins said in her speech honoring Solomon and her senior standing.

“If I had to think of two words to describe Taylor, the first word would be patient,” Potera-Haskins said, “…And the second word would be swag.”

Potera-Haskins was referring to Solomon’s freshman year in particular. She tore her ACL in high school and came to Linfield thinking she may never play or even run again.

For her entire freshman season she waited for her injury to heal while she watched the other players on the court take the lead. Of course, Solomon’s injury eventually did heal, and she went on to be a two-year letter winner and about to make that three after this season.

Solomon’s parents joined their teary-eyed daughter on the court with a bouquet of flowers just before she began her final home game of her final season playing ball as a Wildcat.

“You’ve got an unbelievable team player,” Potera-Haskins said to Solomon’s parents.

Linfield took the lead 25-22 at the half with 12 turnovers and the Bearcats with nine.

Linfield held the biggest lead against Willamette by ten points in the first half

At 12 seconds left in the second half, sophomore Quincy Gibson sunk two free throws landing the ‘cats another Northwest Conference victory at 52-46.