WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Whitman College raced away to a 41-16 halftime lead and cruised to a 70-55 Northwest Conference women's basketball victory over Linfield College Friday night in McMinnville, Ore.

Whitman, now 2-1 in the NWC, is 10-2 on the season. Linfield slipped to 1-2 and 2-10.

Hilary White

The Missionaries amassed its huge first-half lead by making 16 of 27 shots from the floor, including five of seven 3-point attempts. Linfield hit just five of 29 shots in the opening half.

Whitman's Hilary White led all scorers with 20 points. Rebecca Sexton was a force in the middle, combining 12 points with six rebounds and four blocked shots. Ellen Vertatschitsch scored all 10 of her points in the first half, connecting twice from 3-point range.

Michelle Krall and Jenele Peterson added eight points apiece for the Missionaries. Krall also had six rebounds and two blocks, while Peterson handed out four assists. First-year guard Jennifer Keyes tallied seven points off the Whitman bench.

The Missionaries stretched their lead to as many as 29 points early in the second half. They outrebounded their hosts 37-34. Vertatschitsch and Anna Forge grabbed five boards apiece for Whitman.

After shooting 59.3 percent in the first half, the Missionaries cooled off in the second half to finish at 45.5 percent for the game. There was no icing Whitman at the free throw line, however. They made all 11 charity tosses over the final 20 minutes and finished the night a perfect 20 for 20, raising their season-long team percentage to a glittery 80.4 percent. 

Whitman entered the game shooting 78.9 percent from the free throw. That was the third-best mark in all of NCAA Div. III.

Whitman stays in western Oregon to play Willamette University (Salem, Ore.) at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Box Score 

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu