PORTLAND, Ore. – Linfield bettered its team score by 15 strokes on the second day of the Northwest Conference Fall Classic and realized its goal of moving up the team standings of the annual nine-team tournament, which concluded Sunday at Heron Lakes Golf Course.

Linfield recovered nicely from the disqualification late Saturday of Brynn Hurdus (Jr., Gig Harbor, Wash.), one of the Wildcats’ top players. Hurdus shot 81 on Saturday, but was forced to sit on Sunday when a rules violation was discovered.

Brittany Johnston (Sr., Hilo, Hawaii) was Linfield’s low scorer, carding a two-day total of 166 to finish in a four-way tie for fifth place. It was Johnston’s fourth consecutive top-five tournament finish.

Sophie Corr (Soph., Tualatin, Ore.) sewed up 10th place with a 169. Katie Kilborn (Jr., Rancho Murieta, Calif.) rebounded from a 92 on the first day to improve by 10 strokes over the final 18 holes. She plotted birdies on the par-3 7th and 16th holes, and had an eagle on the par-4 17th. Her two-day total of 174 placed her 16th in a field of 48 competitors.

George Fox slotted four golfers in the top five places to win the tournament with a team score of 651. Whitworth was runner-up at 663, followed by Linfield at 681. Puget Sound and Whitman took fourth, both posting team scores of 708, followed by Pacific (741), Pacific Lutheran (772), Willamette (818), and Lewis & Clark (855).

The Wildcats, who were fifth at the 2008 NWC Fall Classic, were pleased with the tournament’s outcome.

“The team is very proud of our finish as our goal was to do better than last year's Fall Classic,” said Wildcats coach Karly Cramer. “I feel the third place result puts us in great position for the spring and establishes our team as a true competitor for nationals. We have some work ahead of us though in order to be truly prepared for the spring season.”

Emily Guthrie of Whitworth captured medalist honors after finishing with a score of 157. GFU’s Jill Westendorf shot an even par on the second day to finish as tournament runner-up, while teammates Sarah Askin and Brianna Nap both earned 83s to tie for third in the standings.

The NWC Fall Classic counts one fourth toward the determining the 2010 NWC team champion. After a winter break, the conference’s nine teams resume play in March.