SPOKANE, Wash. -- Kelly Baker headed in a corner kick in the 84th minute to lift Whitworth to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over visiting Linfield in a Northwest Conference women's soccer match on Sunday afternoon at the Whitworth Soccer Field.

Baker's first goal of '06 was the match-winner

Baker's goal, her first of the season, completed a come back from a 1-0 halftime deficit for the Pirates (11-2-2 overall, 9-2-1 NWC). She got inside the defense and headed Lindsay Oakes' corner kick just inside the left (near) post.

Linfield (5-9-2, 3-7-2) played aggressively during the first half, sending as many as six players into the offensive zone and forcing the Pirates back on their heels defensively. The Wildcats got the first three shots of the match, including a long attempt from a leftside angle by Chelsey Stoltz that Whitworth keeper Leah Motz tried to knock over the bar, but the ball didn't get to the bar and settled into the back of the net in the 14th minute.

After the goal, Whitworth had two good chances to score in the first half. Penelope Crowe could not quite handle a cross from Greta Thibodeau and her attempt from just in front of the goal went high. Later in the half Wildcat keeper Allison Cartmill stopped a shot by Whitworth's Jael Hagerott. The ball bounced to Tori Crain, whose putback was wide right.

Whitworth finally tied the match early in the second half when Hagerott took control of the ball on the left side of the box, beat two defenders to the inside and fired past Cartmill into the upper right corner in the 47th minute.

Amber Calcagno had the Wildcats' best scoring opportunity of the second half, but her hard attempt from the left side was saved by Motz.

Meanwhile, Cartmill was making a pair of spectacular saves to keep Linfield in a tie. She made a diving, point blank save on a shot by Crowe and later stopped Hagerott from dead center of the penalty box.

Cartmill finished with seven saves as the Pirates outshot the Wildcats 21-10, including a 9-4 edge in shots on goal. Motz finished with three saves for Whitworth.

Whitworth remains alive to challenge for the NWC title. Next weekend the Pirates head to Tacoma to take on fellow conference contenders Puget Sound (Saturday) and Pacific Lutheran (Sunday).