The women’s soccer team played its final two regular season games, tying 0-0 with Pacific University on Nov. 4 and winning 6-1 against Pacific Lutheran University on Nov. 5.
The Nov. 4 game turned out to be a game of missed shots. Early in the game, both Pacific and Linfield tried for goals, but aimed too high.
Minutes later, both teams tried once again for a goal, but aimed too wide this time.
In the second half of the game, neither team could get past the other’s defense. Junior Anna Sours attempted a goal for the Wildcats, but Pacific goalie Brittany Hartmann saved the ball
Pacific player Shekema McCarthy tried for a goal, but goalie, sophomore Taylor Collinsworth, saved the ball.
With no goals scored, each team was battling hard for a win. Linfield players senior Emily Allison and freshman Ellie Schmidt each received yellow cards, as did Pacific player Kaitlyn Harper.
The rest of the game consisted of blocks and saves, resulting in a score of 0-0.
The game went into a 10-minute overtime, but neither team could score, and the game went into a second 10-minute overtime.
Pacific committed several fouls during this second overtime, resulting in two Pacific players getting carded. Sarah Tuffey received a yellow card and Kaitlyn Harper received a red card.
Pacific player Bryanna DeLima tried for a goal with only two seconds left, but Linfield goalie Collinsworth saved the ball. The game resulted in a tie.
“Friday was just one of those times we didn’t finish
our chances. We didn’t have quite the bite we needed in front of the goal, which happens sometimes,” Sours said.
Saturday’s home game against Pacific Lutheran resulted in many more goals than Friday’s game.
Lute Mimi Granlund scored the first goal with a header, assisted by Blake Warner.
After a couple of missed goals, the Wildcats made a comeback. Junior Christine Tamamoto scored a goal, assisted by senior MacKenzie Doty.
Not too long after this first goal was scored, the Wildcats scored yet again, this time by Doty with an assist by senior Jenna Quiring.
The Wildcats kept rolling in the goals. Freshman Zoe Langsdorf scored the third goal for Linfield in less than three minutes after the second goal was scored.
The Wildcats kept up their scoring streak in the second half. After Lute goalie Lauren Chambard saved a few goals, Sours managed to get one past her, scoring the fourth goal for Linfield.
Less than 10 minutes later, Schmidt scored a goal for the Wildcats, assisted by Doty.
The Wildcats didn’t stop scoring yet. With less than four minutes left in the game, sophomore Sara Miller scored a goal for the Wildcats, assisted by freshman Emily Ing. Linfield won the game 6-1.
“We played as a team, which was just amazing—everybody played their role and contributed,” Sours said.
The Wildcats just barely missed out on the conference title, losing by two points to University of Puget Sound.
“I feel like the season went amazing,” Sours said. “It’s hard to be as consistent as we were.”
While the Wildcats may not have won the conference title, they now have the highest number of wins in Linfield history and the highest standing finish in women’s soccer.
“We really believe we are the best and play together,” Sours said.
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Meghan O’Rourke/Opinion editor
Meghan O’Rourke can be reached at [email protected].
