Box Score MOUNT OLIVE, N.C.— Julia Babic's goal in the 72nd minute turned out to be the game-winning goal the Valkyries needed to remain undefeated in Conference Carolinas play, defeating Mount Olive 3-2 on Tuesday night. Converse won its sixth straight moving to 6-1 on the season and 3-0 in conference play. Mount Olive suffers its first defeat in league play falling to 2-4 overall and 1-1 in the Conference Carolinas.
Babic, a sophomore from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, made her first collegiate goal a memorable one, netting the game-winner for the Valkyries. Bethany Spivey (Greensboro, N.C.) was credited with the assist. 64 seconds earlier, Alex Marquez (West Hill, Calif.) gave the Valkyries a 2-1 advantage with impressive ball control, eluding three Trojan defenders and putting it in the top shelf for her third goal of the season.
Joscelyn Wallace (Vancouver, B.C., Canada) denied Trojan striker Nichole Poppe from converting a penalty kick in the 79th minute. Converse was called for a handball inside the box. Wallace dove to her right side and deflecting the ball off the post and kept the Trojan rally at bay. Wallace finished the night with eight saves.
Mount Olive (2-4, 1-1 Conference Carolinas) would find a way to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the 85th minute off a Trojan corner kick. UMO pushed forward trying to find the equalizer in the waning minutes but the Valkyrie defensive unit kept the ball out of the box.
Georgia Jones (Solihull, England) put the Valkyries on the board in the early stages of the match, scoring on a one-timer from Darby Boyd (Nags Head, N.C.) putting it near post past a diving Trojan keeper.
Natalie Johnson (Leicester, England) led the team with five shots. Marquez and Jones finished the match with four shots apiece. The Valkyrie attack led to Converse outshooting Mount Olive 25-22, despite being outshot in the second half 18-9. The Valkyries posted 12 shots on goal, whereas Mount Olive had 10.
This was the first match this season where a team has scored more than one goal in a match. Converse is outscoring its opponents 17-5 through seven matches this season and allowing 0.71 goals per match while scoring 2.43 goals per match.
Converse returns to the pitch Saturday, Sept. 27, as the Valkyries square off with Ga. Southwestern (0-7) at Hayden Abney Fulp Field. First touch is slated for 6pm.
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