SPARTANBURG, S.C.- For the first time this season, Converse puts together a full forty minutes to pick up its first Conference Carolinas win of the season with a 78-68 wire-to-wire victory over Southern Wesleyan (6-10, 4-9 CC), in a game that Converse never trailed.
"It was a total team effort," said Coach Kelsi Pack. "Everyone knew their role in the game and we executed the game plan to play a full forty minutes."
Converse (2-13, 1-11 CC) posted a team season-high 78 points led by Margo Dill (Hilton Head, S.C.) with 19 points. Logan Hollis (Spartanburg, S.C.) posted a career-high 17 points. Ashley Salgado (Ottumwa, Iowa) chipped in with 11 points. Kassidy Moorhouse (Anderson, S.C.) scored nine points with Erin Horne (Orlando, Fla.) tallied eight points.
Dill, Hollis and Moorhouse hauled in six rebounds apiece. Jakyra Washington (Durham, N.C.) grabbed five boards with Kelcee Dozier (Blythewood, S.C.) and Salgado snagging four each.
Salgado posted a career-high eight assists. Horne would dish out seven assists as the Valkyries posted a team season-high 20 assists on a season-high 30 made baskets.
Converse started the game fast and furious scoring the first basket in just five seconds by Horne off the tip from Hollis. The Valkyries went on a 6-0 run to start the game. SWU countered with a 8-2 run to tie things up at 8-all.
With things tied for the third time in the first half at 16, Converse went on a 14-2 run over the next 4:17 to jump out to a 30-18 lead. Salgado started the run converting two free throws from the charity stripe. Washington drove the lane for a lay-up. Horne followed with a fast break lay-in stemming from a Washington steal. Hollis and Moorhouse chipped in with lay-ups as well. Salagado capped off the run with an old-fashion three-point play.
Converse headed into the break with a 39-32 lead.
Coming out of the break, the Warriors would chip away at the Valkyrie lead cutting it to 46-43 with 14:43 remaining. Converse would go on a 7-2 to push the lead back to eight at 53-45.
SWU would counter with a 6-0 lead to make it a one possession game at 53-51 with 8:26 remaining. That was the closest the Warriors came the rest of the game.
Two short jumpers from the elbow and a triple from Dill pushed the Valkyrie advantage to seven, 60-53.
Converse would push the the lead to 12 with lay-ups by Hollis and Dill. SWU would cut the deficit to single digits with 2:27 remaining, 73-64. Converse would jump out to the largest lead of the game with 1:34 left to play after Salgado drained two freebies. The Warriors ended the game on a 5-0 run.
Converse would continue to shoot the ball well converting on easy baskets. The Valkyries posted 40 points in the paint and 16 points of turnovers. The Valkyries shot a season-high 45.5% from the floor.
Converse snapped a 13 game losing streak with the win. Converse won two games for the first time since the 2011 season and first Conference Carolinas win since January 29, 2014.
The Valkyries head on the road to face Barton in a mid-week Conference Carolinas game, Wednesday January 28. Tip-off is scheduled for 6pm.
-- Go Valkyries --
Notes:
Coach Kelsi Pack picks up her first collegiate win as head coach, filling in for Beth Couture (family matters).