PORTLAND, Ore. – Linfield’s Scott Gage outdueled teammate Arian Anderson, pulling from behind over the final two kilometers to win Thursday’s season-opening dual meet by nine seconds at Westmoreland Park.

The Linfield men captured the top four places and six of the top eight positions to easily outdistance host Lewis & Clark 16-44. The L&C women, last season’s Northwest Conference champions, grabbed the three leading spots to defeat the Wildcat women 20-37.

Gage covered the eight-kilometer course in 26 minutes, 1 second, just ahead of Anderson, who ran perhaps his finest collegiate race. Linfield’s Joe Gladow (Jr., Shoreline, Wash.) was third in 26:26 followed closely by Linfield veteran Alex Van Slyke. Andrew LeDonne of L&C was fifth in 26:45, while Wildcats freshman Calvin Howell (Soph., San Antonio, Texas) turned in a solid race with a sixth-place showing in 26:52.

Illana Livstrom of Lewis & Clark led the women’s race from wire-to-wire, clocking 21:56 across the six-kilometer course. The Pioneers’ Emily Thomas was second in 22:21 while Heather Spurling of L&C notched third at 22:38.

Linfield’s Mimi Seeley (Jr., Redmond, Ore.) edged teammate Shanna Peaden, 22:41 to 22:44, for fourth.

Also placing among the top 10 for Linfield were Nelly Evans, seventh in 22:49, and freshman Audrey Lichten (Soph., Sequim, Wash.), ninth overall in 23:12.

COMING UP: The Wildcats head to McIver State Park near Estacada on Sept. 10 to participate in the Lewis & Clark Invitational. The meet starts at 10 a.m. and spectators will be asked to pay a $5 state parks day use fee.