SPARTANBURG, S.C.- Converse led the seventh ranked team in the nation 37-34 at intermission but couldn't seal the deal as Limestone's defense stymied the Valkyries in the fourth quarter and ran away to a 91-54 victory on Saturday afternoon.
Kassidy Moorhouse (Anderson, S.C.) led the Valkyries with a career-high 15 points going 4-8 from behind the arc. Brianna James (Spartanburg, S.C.) posted 13 points. Paige Johnson (Greenville, S.C.) chipped in with 10 points. Logan Hollis (Spartanburg, S.C.) missed out on a double-double with eight points and 10 boards.
Converse (2-11, 1-8) started off the game with a Kassidy Moorhouse triple. Limestone (14-0, 9-0) went on an 8-0 run to take the lead. Moorhouse connected on her second trey of the quarter to cut into the lead. After a Saint lay-up, Brianna James (Spartanburg, S.C.) knocked down a freebie and a trey to keep it a one possession contest. A James jumper followed by Paige Johnson's (Greenville, S.C.) lay-up and Logan Hollis (Spartanburg, S.C.) jumper in the paint kept the Valkyries in the contest. Yashee Johnson (West Columbia, S.C.) hit a jumper to end the quarter trailing the Saints 19-18 after one.
The second quarter started with a P. Johnson jumper to retake the lead at 20-19. James would knock down a trey midway through the quarter to knot things up at 25-all. The Saints would push their lead back up to three before Converse used a 10-0 run to take a 37-30 advantage. Two freebies at the line sparked the Valkyries rally coupled with back-to-back treys by P. Johnson and Moorhouse. Moorhouse knocked down 2-3 from the stripe to give the Valkyries the 37-30 lead. Two late lay-ins cut the lead down to three heading into the half.
The Valkyries in the second half cooled off from their hot shooting after hitting 40.6% from the floor and 54.5% from behind the arc, while Limestone picked up the hot hand. Converse went 17.6% from the floor as the Saints hit 50% of their shots.
Limestone led 57-48 after the third quarter and used a monster 34-6 fourth quarter to seal the win.
Converse returns to action on Monday, Jan. 18 against Erskine in Due West, S.C.