PORTLAND, Ore.- The Lewis & Clark College women's lacrosse team kicked off its 2025 season with a milestone victory, defeating Linfield University 14-12 on Wednesday night at Griswold Stadium. The win marked the Pioneers' first-ever home victory and gave head coach Lindsay Newman her first triumph over her former team.
 
THE BASICS
 
Lewis & Clark 14, Linfield 12
(Lewis & Clark 1-0, 0-0)
(Linfield 2-2, 0-0)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sophomores Sage Swegle (four goals, one assist) and Aviana Gonzales (three goals, two assists) led the Pioneers' offense, each recording a hat trick and finishing with five points. First-year Mack Searle recorded three goals for her first career hat trick and led the team with seven ground balls and five caused turnovers while also recording four draw controls.

Junior Kate Meinhard and sophomore Finley Allen each added two goals. First-year Kaitlin McRae secured her first career win in goal, making 12 saves.

Lewis & Clark wasted no time seizing momentum, jumping to a 3-0 lead in the opening minutes. Meinhard struck first just 18 seconds into the game off an assist from sophomore Evelyn Burnett. Gonzales, a transfer from NAIA Multnomah University, doubled the lead at 13:31, scoring her first collegiate goal after driving from behind the net and firing past Linfield goalkeeper Tenley Hodge. Less than a minute later, Gonzales assisted Swegle's first goal, giving the Pioneers a 3-0 advantage at the 12:33 mark of the first quarter.

Linfield responded with two late goals, including Madison DeLatrinidad's strike with 22 seconds left, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

The Wildcats carried that momentum into the second quarter, capitalizing on Pioneer penalties with three straight power-play goals in the first four minutes to take a 5-3 lead. Gonzales halted Linfield's five-goal run with a free-position goal at 10:37, but Maizri Chandler answered 19 seconds later, extending Linfield's advantage to 6-4.

Lewis & Clark countered with a five-goal streak of its own, starting with Searle's first two collegiate goals at 7:35, then an equalizer to tie the game at 6-6 with six minutes left in the half. Gonzales completed her first collegiate hat trick, Swegle tallied her second goal, and Allen found the back of the net to give the Pioneers a 9-6 lead with 1:39 remaining. Linfield's Gabby Crist scored just before halftime, bringing the Wildcats within two.

The Pioneers maintained control in the third quarter, outscoring Linfield 4-2. Searle opened the scoring at 12:25 to complete her first collegiate hat trick, followed by Swegle's goal at 7:20 to complete her first hat trick of the season. Allen added her second goal at 6:18, and Meinhard capped the quarter with a goal at 4:41, pushing the lead to 13-9.

Linfield attempted a late comeback in the fourth quarter, with Chandler scoring at 9:41 to cut the deficit to three. However, Swegle's fourth goal at 6:51 proved decisive. Despite back-to-back goals from Mackenzie Kulick and Crist in the final minutes, the Pioneers held on for the victory.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
 

• The Pioneers have won two games in a row for the first time in program history, as they defeated the University of Puget Sound 14-13 in the 2024 season finale.
• Gonzales finished with eight shots, seven on goal (.875 SOG%).
• Sophomore Lauren Elliot tallied three caused turnovers, two ground balls, and one draw control.
• Seven of McRae's 12 saves came in the second half to help secure the win.
• Meinhard's goal at 4:41 was the game-winner. She also led the team with six draw controls.
• Coach Newman is now 1-1 against her former team and will lead the Pioneers against the Wildcats in an official Northwest Conference game on April 16 at Griswold Stadium.

 
WHO'S NEXT
 
Lewis & Clark travels to Pacific Lutheran University for the first-ever meeting between the two schools in a women's lacrosse game at 1 p.m. on Saturday.