BELMONT, N.C. – A slow start doomed the Converse (6-12) lacrosse team in a 20-9 loss to Belmont Abbey (13-5) during the quarterfinals of the 2018 Conference Carolinas Women's Lacrosse Championship on Wednesday afternoon. The Crusaders outscored CC 13-2 in the first half and held on in the second to advance to the next round.

Aubrie Lauderdale led the Valkyries with four goals, while Brittni Jones contributed a hat trick in the losing effort. Sharlize Burgos and Katherine Goldfuss added one goal each for Converse.

Belmont Abbey started the contest on a 7-0 run, spanning just over seven minutes of game action. Lauderdale put a stop to the run with her first score of the contest at the 19:42 mark of the opening period. Three straight from Abbey pushed the score out to 10-1 before Jones connected on her first goal. However, BAC finished the half netting the final three goals to take a 13-2 lead into the half.

Lauderdale posted her second score 38 ticks into the second half, but the Crusaders reeled off five consecutive goals to balloon their lead to 18-3 with 20 minutes left in the game. Converse outscored Belmont Abbey 6-2 over the rest of the match, but it was too little, too late as BAC captured the win by the final of 20-9.