Using a much-improved quick-set offense featuring setters Jamie Talbo (Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii) and Casie Gaza (So., Miliani, Hawaii) and middle blocker Caiti Barrie (Jr., Medford, Ore.), the Linfield Wildcats handily defeated a reeling Pacific University Boxers squad in three sets, 25-18, 25-21, 25-16, Friday night at Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
Trimming two strokes from their first-round score, the Linfield Wildcats maintained their third-place position once all the results were tallied Monday on the final day of the Whitman Invitational here at Wine Valley Golf Club.
It's not often a first-year player comes in to make the kind of impact Jaime Talbo is making at Linfield College.
At Ted Runner Stadium, five-time defending NWC champion Linfield battered reigning SCIAC kingpin Redlands 36-3 in an early season cross-conference matchup.
Fighting off a strong rally in the fourth set, Linfield held on to knock off Willamette 25-19, 25-17, 23-25, 28-26 Tuesday night inside Cone Field House in the Northwest Conference opener for both clubs.
UC-Santa Cruz senior Brent Godlewski broke a stalemate in the 73rd minute to give the Banana Slugs a 2-1 victory and spoil Linfield's preseason finale on a toasty Tuesday afternoon at the Linfield soccer field.
Quarterback Sam Riddle (So., Hillsboro, Ore.) came off the bench to throw for 268 yards and two touchdowns and the sophomore ran for the winning score late in the third quarter as No. 5 Linfield rallied to put away Chapman 21-14.
One of these seasons, Linfield is bound to break through the glass ceiling and return to the NCAA Division III championship game.
Scoring twice in each half, the University of Dallas dealt Linfield its first setback, 2-0, Saturday afternoon at the Linfield soccer field.
Moi Diaz (Fr., McMinnville, Ore.) supplied his second game-winning goal of the week and Brian DeGrandmont (So., Portland, Ore.) scored twice in the second period to lift the Wildcats to a 4-0 shutout against Oregon Tech Friday evening at the Linfield soccer field.