WALLA WALLA, Wash.  Goals by Emily Rigsby and Sofia Ellington provided Whitman a two-goal second-half cushion Sunday afternoon at the Whitman Athletic Fields, but visiting Linfield College rallied with three unanswered tallies to steal a 3-2 overtime victory on the final day of the Northwest Conference women's soccer season.

Weather in the low 30s amidst constant rain -- which sometimes turned to sleet, and on occasion even snow -- made conditions tough on both teams.

Whitman (2-16-2, 2-12-2 NWC) surely had the insurance goal it needed when Sofia Ellington notched her third of the season to lift the Blues to a 2-0 advantage just 51 seconds into the second half.

Rylee Neville received a throw-in from the left touch line and slotted a low, soft cross to Ellington near the top of the box. Ellington continued driving right then drew the ball back to her left foot, getting inside the defender whom she raced toward goal.

Wildcats goalkeeper Madi Reimer boldly came off her line to charge Ellington, but slid legs first into the play allowing Ellington to pop the ball over the downed keeper and continue on for an easy tap-in.

The goal was a reversal of fortune from the final 20 minutes of first-half action when Linfield (9-9-2, 7-7-2) was pressing its attack.

That pressure was necessary because the Blues had pretty much owned the first 25 minutes of the game.

Emily Rigsby scored on the contest's first shot, cashing in on a wide-open net in the fifth minute.

From just behind midfield Whitman's Chelsea day pushed a pass downfield toward the right corner of the box. Eliza Van Wetter came from the outside-in and out raced a defender to the ball just inside the top of the box.

Reimer had raced out to try to beat Van Wetter to the ball but was a second late, allowing Van Wetter to slip a pass to the left leading Rigsby -- who had gotten behind her defender -- toward the back side where she center cut an easy goal into the open frame for her second of the season.

Little did the Blues know that a near miss by Van Wetter and a save by Reimer just before the halftime break would be one of those 'if only' moments for Whitman.

Linfield was strong on possession throughout the second half, allowing only Ellington's shot on goal, while scoring twice from its seven shots.

The Wildcats got on the board off a header from a free kick in the 63rd, then tied the game in the 77th after three consecutive corner kick chances.

The game-winner took just 31 seconds of overtime as Shelby DeRocher collected an attempted clear and from about 15 yards out from the left post pasted a shot into the back, right corner to complete the comeback.

Allie Seracuse started in goal for the Blues and made four saves through the first half before giving way to Bryanna Schreiber at the start of the second. Schreiber made one save but gave up the pair of second-half goals, then gave way to Seracuse at the start of overtime.

Sunday's contest marked the end of the season for the Blues, along with the end of their careers for senior defenders Olivia Thomson and Saba Zewdie who were honored in a pre-game ceremony for their four years of contributions to the Whitman program.