PORTLAND, Ore. – The Lewis & Clark College women's lacrosse team raced out to an early lead Wednesday night at Griswold Stadium, but visiting Linfield University mounted a second-half comeback to earn a 16-12 Northwest Conference win.
 
THE BASICS
 
Linfield 16, Lewis & Clark 12
(Lewis & Clark 9-4, 2-2 NWC)
(Linfield 8-5, 4-2 NWC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Sophomore attacker Sage Swegle reached a major career milestone in the game, becoming the first player in program history to record 100 career points. She hit the mark with her second goal and reached the milestone in just 26 collegiate appearances.
 
Fellow sophomore Aviana Gonzales led the Pioneers' offense with a game-high six points on four goals and two assists. First-year Mack Searle added a hat trick and one assist, while sophomore Finley Allen scored three goals—all in the first half.

The Pioneers dominated the opening quarter, jumping out to a 4-0 lead just over seven minutes in. Searle scored the game's first goal 83 seconds after the opening whistle, assisted by Gonzales. Gonzales followed with back-to-back goals before Allen capitalized on a power-play chance. After Linfield got on the board at the 5:11 mark, Searle responded with her second goal to give the hosts a 5-1 edge after one.

Lewis & Clark extended the lead to 7-1 early in the second on goals by Allen and Gonzales. Linfield answered with three quick goals, but Searle and Gonzales connected again to stop the bleeding. The Wildcats added a late goal to pull within 8-5 at the half.

Searle completed her hat trick early in the third quarter, but the rest of the frame belonged to the Wildcats. Linfield scored seven straight goals over the final 12 minutes of the period, turning a four-goal deficit into a 12-10 lead heading to the fourth.

Linfield pushed the lead to 13-10 before Swegle scored her first of the game on another Gonzales assist. The Wildcats answered with three straight goals to pull away for good. Swegle added her milestone goal with just over six minutes left, which also stood as the final tally of the contest.

Sophomore defender Lauren Elliott led the Pioneer defense with six caused turnovers and six ground balls, tying the program's single-game record for caused turnovers. First-year Kaedance Stubbs matched the single-game ground ball record with seven pickups, while adding two caused turnovers. Fellow rookie Kaitlin McRae made 10 saves and corralled four ground balls in goal.

Allen contributed five draw controls and two power-play goals in her hat trick performance. Searle added four caused turnovers and two draw controls to her three-goal outing.

Linfield's Gabby Crist led all scorers with six goals, including the eventual game-winner. Savannah Irwin chipped in three goals and three assists for the Wildcats.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Elliott tied the program record for caused turnovers in a game (6), matching Kate Meinhard's mark set on Feb. 24, 2024 vs. Augsburg University.
• Stubbs' seven ground balls tied the single-game record shared by Searle and Allen.
• The Pioneers set a new team record for clears in a game, finishing 21-for-24. The previous record was 17, achieved four times.
• Lewis & Clark went 1-for-1 on free-position shots. Linfield finished 2-for-7.
• The Pios were called for 17 fouls, while Linfield was whistled just three times.

WHO'S NEXT

Lewis & Clark travels to Spokane for the first time in program history to face Whitworth University on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Northwest Conference play.