KIRKLAND – Miki Vermeulen knocked down a three-pointer as time expired to lift Linfield to a 55-53 win over Northwest on Wednesday.
 
Northwest had just broken a 52-52 tie with 13.8 seconds left on a free throw by Kyrin Baklund. After an LU timeout to advance the ball to midcourt, the Wildcats appeared to have to alter their designed play as the Eagles' defense scrambled hard. The team effort, though, left Vermeulen, an 11-percent three-point shooter for the season, open. She dropped in the basket, and the Linfield bench erupted.
 
"That's the kind of game coaches call 'learning experience,'" said NU Head Coach Ken Crawford. "I thought we played really good defense for most of the game, and when it came down to a last-second shot: congratulations, Linfield. What we have to do now is look at how it came down to that and learn from those mistakes. If we can do that, we will get better."
 
Baklund led the Eagles with a superb, 24-point effort to go along with three assists and three steals. Maya DuChesne contributed 11 points. Grace Harder and Kylie Lunday had seven rebounds each. Harder and Katie Fleming added three steal each.
 
Gillyan Landis led the Wildcats with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Eagles return to action on Friday, taking on Corban in a 5:30 p.m. contest.