Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – With 17 goals from six different players, the Whittier College women's lacrosse team cruised by Linfield College, 17-4 on Wednesday evening at Memorial Stadium. The offensive output marked a season-best for the Poets, who moved their record to 3-8 with their last non-conference matchup of the season.

Disguised by the lopsided outcome, the Wildcats actually kept the game close within the first seven minutes as a goal from Halee Helgerson pulled Linfield within one at 2-1. But the Poets would respond with a 6-0 run immediately following with two goals from Hallie Doane, Lily Baxter, and Carolyn Mukai, while Shaina Denny tacked on one at the 4:12 mark.

After the Wildcats stopped the bleeding with a free position goal from Brittani Drost the Poets would tally the final two goals of the half from Mukai and Baxter that sent the Purple & Gold into the break up 10-2.

Out of the intermission Denny took the opening draw control and within ten seconds added her second goal of the game and she was followed 50 seconds later from Mukai who capitalized off of a man up situation that gave the Poets a double digit lead at 12-2.

After Mukai tallied her sixth goal of the game, Linfield stopped the Poet run with a goal from Shelby Duarte that pulled the Wildcats within ten but that's as close as they would get as Whittier would close out the game on a 4-1 run with goals from Mukai, Tiffany Reyes, Drew Kuperman, and Baxter that sent them to the 17-4 victory and their second win in a row.    

The Poets' offensive display overshadowed a strong defensive effort that saw the Wildcats take just 11 shots compared to Whittier's 48. The Poets controlled possession throughout the game, claiming 19 draw controls to Linfield's four. Goalie Nicole Yorba was effective when shot upon, tallying two saves in the game.

The Poets will reenter SCIAC play in their next game as they travel to Redlands to take on the Bulldogs on April 6 beginning at 7:00pm.