SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth scored early and then never let up in an 18-4 win over visiting Linfield in a Northwest Conference lacrosse game on Sunday at the Pine Bowl.

The Pirates (6-7 overall, 2-2 NWC) played every available player against the short-handed Wildcats (5-8 overall, 3-2 NWC), who only had 11 healthy bodies for the game.

Whitworth scored a pair of goals in the first minute of the game by winning draw controls and racing toward the net.  Sierra Witte scored the first goal unassisted and then assisted Peyton Green's goal seconds later.  The Pirates would not score again until Kiera Paulus tallied with 30 seconds left in the opening quarter.  In between Gabby Crist scored on a breakaway for Linfield's first goal.

Whitworth put the game out of reach with seven unanswered goals in the second quarter.  Witte, Megan Whitman and Campbell Vincent each scored two in the quarter while Nikki Beers scored the seventh. 

Much of the second half was played with a running clock as the Pirates stretched the lead to ten and beyond. 

Vincent finished with four goals and four assists, while Witte had four goals and two assists.  Whitman tallied two goals and four assists.  Witte also hustled her way to 10 draw controls and three ground balls. 

Whitworth outshot Linfield 38-11, including a 22-6 edge in shots on goal.  The Pirates won 20 of the 26 draw controls. 

Crist led Linfield with three goals.  Kayla Jones played the first 45 minutes in net and allowed three goals while making five saves.  Charlotte Norton allowed only one goal in the fourth.

Whitworth plays at Lewis & Clark and Willamette this coming weekend in a pair of games that will go a long way to determining the qualifiers for the 2026 NWC tournament.