McMINNVILLE, Ore. --- The George Fox women's lacrosse team kicked off its eighth season on Saturday, Mar. 6, against the Linfield Wildcats and came away winners with a 17-7 final in what was also the Northwest Conference opener.

How It Happened

Linfield grabbed the early lead after their star midfielder won the draw and scored immediately, but the Bruins were able to settle in afterward. The Cats' last lead came nine minutes in, up 3-2, and the Bruins then scored ten straight to take a 12-3 lead at the break. Kyra Barnes, Bailey Faust, Olivia Geyling, Andrea Garcia-Milla, Madison Strickland, and Sydney Thatch all got in on the action in the first to take the nine-goal lead.

The scoring was more balanced in the second half as the Bruins put in five more goals to the Cats' four. Linfield was able to avoid the running clock for long stretches but couldn't make enough of a dent as the Bruins cruised to the ten-goal victory.

Top Performers

Garcia-Milla led the way with five goals and seven ground balls. Barnes was a step behind that pace with four goals and five ground balls. Strickland was the third Bruin to notch a hat trick with three goals on four shots. On defense, Carleigh DeLapp tallied a team-high four CTs and won four draws, while Ella Rand made six saves in the win.

Their Thoughts

"It felt great to be back on the field and get our first game in over a year under our belts," said head coach Katie Brand. " We have an awesome opportunity to turn around quickly and play Linfield again tomorrow. I am hopeful we will be able to make some adjustments and come out even stronger in tomorrow's game."

What It Means

The Bruins start the year 1-0 and the Wildcats drop to 0-1.

What Happens Next

The Bruins will finish the weekend at the Wildcats' field with another game on Sunday, Mar. 7.