SPARTANBURG, S.C.- In a back-and-forth game, Converse suffered a 14-9 setback at the hands of Belmont Abbey in Conference Carolinas lacrosse action on Thursday evening.  

With the score knotted up at 8-all, the Crusaders (4-3, 1-0) used a six goal rally over the final ten minutes of action to push the advantage to 14-8.

Converse (3-4, 2-2) was led offensively by senior Chelsea Worrell (Orlando, Fla.) Worrell netted her third straight hat-trick finding the back of the net four times.  Worrell's fourth goal tied the program's all-time goal scoring record with 106.  Aubrie Lauderdale (Greenville, S.C.) posted a hat-trick in the first half and tallied two assists in the second half.

Brittni Jones (Lees Summit, Mo.) and Elizabeth Gabriele (Simpsonville, S.C.) tallied a goal and an assist apiece.  Laura Starkes (Whitby, Ontario) recorded an assist.

Belmont Abbey jumped out to an early 2-0 lead just 5:16 into the contest.  Converse responded with a Brittni Jones free position goal just over a minute later.  Both team traded goals throughout the first half as Aubrie Lauderdale netted two goals for the Valkyries.

Chelsea Worrell would knot things at four with 4:01 remaining in the first half.  As time was running down in the half Brittni Jones came up with the ground ball and promptly found Lauderdale inside the six meter area to knot things at five with 10 seconds left in the half.

Belmont Abbey came out of the break finding the back of the net twice within a 30 second span.  Two goals by Chelsea Worrell and a goal by Elizabeth Gabriele found the Valkyries tied once again with 17:45 left in regulation.

The Crusaders went on a six goal run to push their advantage to 14-8.  Converse ended the rally with a Chelsea Worrell free position goal but was unable to find the back of the net to close the gap.

The Valkyries return to the field on Friday, March 11 against Alderson Broaddus.  Opening draw is at 5pm.