Slow Start Stymies Valkyries Versus Emmanuel

Slow Start Stymies Valkyries Versus Emmanuel

SPARTANBURG, S.C.- Converse's slow start allows Emmanuel (4-0, 1-0) to pick up the 76-48 victory over the Valkyries in the Conference Carolinas opener on Tuesday evening.

Converse (1-2, 0-1) was led offensively by freshman Khrystal Ellis (Greenville, S.C.) posting her second double-figure scoring outing of her young career scoring a team-high 12 points.  Ellis grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

Yashee Johnson (West Columbia, S.C.) added nine points and hauled in six rebounds.  Kassidy Moorhouse (Anderson, S.C.) chipped in seven points, while Paige Johnson (Greenville, S.C.) and Brianna James (Spartanburg, S.C.) scored six points apiece.

The Valkyries struggled from the floor in the first half scoring a season-low nine points in the first 20 minutes of action and only two points in the second quarter.  Converse shot 13.8% in the first half.

Dah'Vielle Lucas (Mauldin, S.C.) started the game with a short runner to tie things up at 2-all.  The Lions would go on a 6-0 run to take an 8-2 lead before Paige Johnson scored her first collegiate points with a three from the right wing.  Yashee Johnson would hit a jumper to bring the score to 8-7 in favor of the Lions.

Emmanuel would end the quarter on a 14-0 run.  Logan Hollis (Spartanburg, S.C.) hit a jumper for the lone basket of the quarter.  Emmanuel would continue the run scoring 21 points in the quarter to take a 43-9 lead into the locker room.

Converse attempted to close the gap in the second half behind six points in the third quarter by Yashee Johnson.  Emmanuel extended their lead to 45, 65-20, with 1:20 remaining in the quarter.  A jumper by Kassidy Moorhouse and two free throws by Ashley Salgado (Ottumwa, Iowa) ended the quarter down 65-24.

Kassidy Moorhouse started the Valkyries on the right foot in the fourth hitting a corner trey.  Converse found some momentum in the fourth quarter going on a 13-4 run started by Khrystal Ellis going 4-6 from the charity stripe.  Ellis connected on a short jumper followed by Dah'Vielle Lucas hitting 1-2 from the line.  Bri James hit a free throw and then a deep three.  Yashee Johnson finished the run with a free throw.

Paige Johnson would keep it under a thirty point defeat hitting a triple at the buzzer.

Converse takes a few days off for the Thanksgiving holiday before stepping back into Conference Carolinas action with a long road trip to face Barton on Tuesday, December 1.