SPARTANBURG, S.C.- Converse rallied from an eight point deficit against third seeded Barton late to earn a 66-61 Senior Day victory in Conference Carolinas action on Monday afternoon. Converse had three in double figure scoring.
Converse (4-19, 3-16 CC) was led by senior Margo Dill (Hilton Head, S.C.) with 18 points. Coming off a career-high over the weekend Jakyra Washington (Durham, N.C.) gave the Valkyries 12 points, while Erin Horne (Orlando, Fla.) chipped in 11 points and the game winning shot. Ashley Salgado (Ottumwa, Iowa) gave the Valkyries a spark off the bench scoring eight points off 3-3 shooting from the floor in 11 minutes of action.
Yashee Johnson (West Columbia, S.C.) grabbed a team-high 10 boards while teammates Hannah Anderson (Savannah, Ga.) and Christhea Mitchell (Jacksonboro, S.C.) hauled in six apiece. Johnson finished the game with 3 blocks and four assists. Horne tallied two blocks and four steals.
Barton (13-13, 12-7 CC) saw its largest lead of the game, 58-50, with 3:34 remaining after a Bulldog three pointer. The Valkyries were resilient and never gave up going on a 16-3 run. Salgado would hit back-to-back jumpers after a Johnson free throw to start the Valkyrie attack. Horne would add to her total with a nice uncontested lay-up followed by Washington knocking down two at the charity stripe.
Salgado would hit two free throws to give the Valkyries a 61-60 advantage with just under a minute to go. Barton would tie things up at 61-all after going 1-2 from the stripe.
Erin Horne would find daylight down the right side of the lane and finished in the paint to give Converse an one possession advantage. The Valkyrie defense caused a turnover and cashed in on the Bulldog miscue. Washington iced the game with 8.6 seconds remaining after driving the lane and completing the old fashioned three point play.
The Valkyries led at halftime 30-25 after sharing the ball effectively in the first half. Converse shot 37.9% from the floor getting production early from Margo Dill scoring 12 of her 18 points in the first half off 5-8 shooting. Converse had eight assists on 11 made baskets in the first half and finsihed the game with 15 assists on 23 baskets.
Senior Kayla Garrett (Indianapolis, Ind.) finished the game with two points, two steals, and an assist. Jenna White (Fort Mill, S.C.) scored three points, grabbed three rebounds and had two assists.
Converse won on senior day for the first time since the 2006-07 season and tallied four win since the 2010 season. The Valkyries sit 1.0 games out of the final spot for the Conference Carolinas tournament behind Pfeiffer and Lees McRae.
