CENTRAL, S.C.- In the first game of the 2015 season, the Valkyries did not look like the Valkyries of old despite the outcome on Friday evening. Converse fell to Conference Carolinas newcomer Southern Wesleyan 76-67 in a game of runs and hot shooting on both sides. Southern Wesleyan improved to 4-4 on the season and 2-3 in league play. Converse drops its sixth straight to fall to 1-6 on the season and remains winless in Conference Carolinas play.
Converse were paced offensively with four double-figure scorers. Ashley Salgado (Ottumwa, Iowa) and Margo Dill (Hilton Head, S.C.) led the team with 13 points apiece. Kassidy Moorhouse (Anderson, S.C.) chipped in a season-high 12 points off the bench, going 3-5 from behind the arc. Kelcee Dozier (Blythewood, S.C.) tallied 10 points, seven boards and two blocks. Salgado dished out a season-high eight dimes.
Erin Horne (Orlando, Fla.) hit two triples to finish the game with eight points. Logan Hollis (Spartanburg, S.C.) finished with seven points, four rebounds, and two blocks.
Converse cut the deficit to 65-63 after going on a 16-8 run capped off by Salgado's pair from the charity stripe. That was the closest the Valkyries got in the second half. Margo Dill started the rally with an old-fashion three-point play. Salgado followed suit the next trip down the floor and completed the three-point play. Jakyra Washington (Durham, N.C.) tallied her only points of the game during this span hitting a jumper and converting two from the line.
The Warriors ended the game on an 11-4 run. Converse went 1-11 from the floor down the stretch after being down 65-63.
The game started off with both sides exchanging blows with the slight edge going to SWU heading into the first media timeout at 8-6. Coming out of the break SWU went on a 7-1 run to jump out to a 15-7 lead. Converse would step up the defense and go on a 15-7 run to tie things at 22-22. The Valkyrie defense stepped into the passing lanes and drew three charges in consecutive trips down the floor. Moorhouse capped off the run with back-to-back treys to bring the Valkyries to within one, 22-21. Dill tallied five points during the run.
Dill hit a jumper from the top of the key to give Converse its only lead of the game at 25-24 with 5:54 remaining in the first half. SWU would end the first half on a 13-8 mark to take a 36-31 lead into the locker room. SWU shot 69.6% from the floor in the second half and tallied 18 points in the paint. Converse however, shot a season-high 50% (11-22) from the floor in the first half.
The Warriors sprinted out of the locker room on a 6-2 run to take its largest lead of the game at 45-33. Converse countered with a 9-2 run before SWU went on a 7-3 run.
Converse finished the game shooting 43.6% (24-55) in the game. SWU continued the hot shooting from the first half and finished with 61.2% shooting from the floor.
Converse takes on North Greenville on Saturday, January 3rd. Tip-off is at 2pm.
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