SPARTANBURG, S.C.- The Converse lacrosse team suffered a 23-12 setback against Tusculum in a non-conference match on Saturday afternoon.  Converse drops to 1-2 on the season while Tusculum improves to 3-0.

Chelsea Worrell (Orlando, Fla.) posted a season-high five goals while Brittni Jones (Lees Summit, Mo.) recorded a hat-trick with three goals.  Laura Starkes (Whitby, Ontario) dished out three assists while Aubrie Lauderdale (Greenville, S.C.) posted two goals and two assists in the loss.

Both teams exchanged goals in the first 15 minutes of the contest.  Brittni Jones scored the opening goal for the Valkyries just 23 seconds into the match.  Tusculum countered with two goals before Laura Starkes knotted things at two with a free position goal for her only goal of the contest.

Chelsea Worrell posted three goals in a row to give the Valkyries a 5-3 lead.  Starkes and Jones recorded assists on the latter two goals.  Elizabeth Gabriele (Simpsonville, S.C.) posted a goal at the 9:00 mark before Tusculum scored four straight to regain the lead at 8-6.  Brittni Jones posted a goal with 1:48 remaining in the first half as Tusculum rounded out the half with a goal to take a 9-7 lead into the break.

The Pioneers pushed their advantage out to 13-7 after scoring four goals to open the second half.  Converse would counter with three goals of their own to cut it to 13-10.  Chelsea Worrell netted the first goal in the run while Aubrie Lauderdale scored a man-down goal off the dish from Starkes and an unassisted goal.

Chelsea Worrell found the back of the net from Starkes with 11:29 remaining before Tusculum used a five goal run to lead 19-11 with under seven to play.  Brittni Jones would net the final goal for the Valkyries with 5:43 remaining in the contest.  

Tusculum scored four more goals to finish out the second half scoring.

Converse returns to the field on Monday, February 22 to face off against Chowan.  Opening draw is at 4pm.