WALLA WALLA, Wash.  What could have been a trap game instead provided a comprehensive tune-up for the surging Whitman men's soccer team.

Noah Cavanaugh and Joe Wally each scored in the first half and the Blues were menacing throughout the second half of a 2-1 victory over Linfield in Northwest Conference men's soccer Saturday at the Whitman Athletic Fields.

The Blues (4-6, 3-2 in NWC) won for the third time in four matches.

With a showdown against first-place Willamette looming Sunday, last-place Linfield could have been overlooked.

Cavanaugh proved that wouldn't be a problem by blasting home a goal from 25 yards out just one minute, 15 seconds into the match.

When a Wildcats player was given a red card and sent off just moments into the second half, Whitman could have been excused for easing off the gas.

The Blues proceeded to out-shoot Linfield 12-3, with four shots-on-frame in the final 12 minutes -- two that caught post or bar.

"Mentally, we were definitely prepared," Whitman head coach Jose Cedeno said. "We responded well, physically.

"(Willamette) is still undefeated," he added. "We know we can play well at home. We know what we have to do."

Cavanaugh's goal was his team-high third of the season and moved him into a tie for third place for goals in the NWC. It came before the Blues had settled into a rhythm, offensively, but that quickly followed. A clever matrix of passes culminated in a crisp feed from Gabe Jacobson to C.J. Fritz moments later, with Fritz -- alone in the box -- sending a shot just high. Whitman earned a corner soon thereafter, and Jacob Fritz nearly doubled the lead at the 35-minute mark.

Linfield equalized when Marshall Denley collected the rebound off Owen Davis-Bower's save of Malachi Stalberg's shot and scored with 33:42 left in the first.

The Blues kept banging on the door, however. Ben Freedman almost linked up with Alex Cooper at the far post near the 21-minute mark. Whitman earned a pair of corners. Freedman sent a promising shot arcing wide.

Persistence paid with 10:28 left in the half, Cooper pushing all the way to the back line before skimming a pass, right-to-left, to find Wally stampeding in for a score.

Despite a 22-7 advantage in shots, including 12 shots on frame, Cedeno said he expects better against the Bearcats at 2:30 p.m. here Sunday.

"We didn't play to our potential," he said. "I was expecting better. We can definitely be more dangerous and attacking-minded.

"A win is a win," he added. "It gets us closer to our goal."

Erik Nielsen had five shots (three on target), and Freedman and Peter Stephens had three shots apiece for the Blues.