’Cats historic season ends in home heartbreak to Bruins

One of the best seasons by a Linfield’s women's basketball team was cut short on Friday, Feb. 27, as the Wildcats suffered a Northwest Conference semifinal loss to George Fox University by a score of 59-57.

Linfield swept the Bruins during the regular season for the first time since 2006-07, but as the No. 1 seed after becoming Northwest Conference regular-season champions, the ’Cats were unable to hold onto a late lead.

Beginning the fourth quarter, Linfield led 48-43.

In the final period, senior guard Allie Mead accounted for all the ’Cats offense as George Fox squeaked by with a 16-9 advantage to emerge victorious.

Senior Miki Vermeulen appeared to have taken the inbound and got a quick shot off in the final seconds, making it to tie the game. But following much deliberation from the officiating crew, they determined the shot was not in time, and the game was over.

On Saturday, George Fox battled Whitman, the latter of which proved victorious, 67-51, to be the only NWC team named to the NCAA DIII Women's Basketball Tournament.

Finishing with a record of 22-4, 15-1, Linfield set program records in total wins and conference victories this season and were respectfully honored for their regular-season dominance.

Mead topped all Wildcats with 20 points against George Fox and was named NWC Women's Basketball Player of the Year and All-NWC first-team. She is the first Wildcat in program history to earn the POTY title.

Vermeulen earned second-team honors and was named NWC Defensive Player of the Year. She led the team in rebounds (150) and ranked sixth in the NWC in rebounds as well as eighth in blocked shots with 16 prior to their final contest.

For the first time in her 11-year tenure, Head Coach Casey Bunn-Wilson was named NWC Coach of the Year. Having led Linfield to two of the program's best seasons each of the last two years, Bunn-Wilson’s Wildcats ranked No. 1 in offense and No. 3 in defense in the NWC. They averaged 68.2 points per game and held opponents to an average of 54.6.