SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Converse University lacrosse team fell to Coker 10-9 in their home opener on Saturday afternoon in front of a large crowd at Weisiger Stadium.
Converse (0-2) is now 1-2 in home openers dating back to the 2021 season and with the loss on Saturday the Valkyries have now lost back-to-back home openers. Coker improved to 1-2 overall on the season and hit their season average of goals in a game at 10.
With 3:33 to play in the opening quarter,
Hailey Obenchain found
Brenna Everette for the Valkyries first goal of the game. Three minutes of game time ticked off the clock before Hailey Morgan scored the equalizer with 33 seconds left in the period. However, the Valkyries got the last laugh as
Samantha Sparks found Cassidy O'Neill for the go-ahead goal with three seconds to spare in the first stanza.
In the second quarter Madeline Hart and Hailey Morgan scored the first two goals of the period for Coker. The two goals gave the Cobras their first lead of the match at 3-2. With 8:21 to play, Obenchain found Everette for the equalizer. A few minutes later, Obenchain found
Ryleigh Schaeffer on a man up opportunity to give the Valkyries the lead once again. A goal by Morgan once again tied the game at four going into the halftime break.
In the first half the Valkyries were out shot 19-14 in total shots and 16-13 in shots on goal. Sophomore goalie
Reagan Collins had 12 saves in the opening half and the Valkyries won the turnover battle early on up 7-10. Free position shots proved to be the difference maker in the opening half as Coker attempted six and Converse attempted just one.
In the third quarter Mia MacMillian broke the tie with 9:12 to play in the period. Two minutes later, the Cobras had a two-goal lead after a score by Abby Gross. With 6:02 to play Obenchain found
Madelyn Robinson for her first goal of the season and the Valkyries trailed 6-5. Morgan and Gross scored two more times in the quarter as the Cobras went into the fourth up 8-5.
Alli Green scored a man-up goal for Coker with 12:33 to play and the Valkyries faced their largest deficit of the afternoon down four. A pair of quick goals by
Karter Lauer and O'Neill had the Valkyries right back in the match at 9-7. Amariah Lawson ended the Valkyries scoring run with a goal for Coker at the 6:54 mark of the quarter. O'Neill scored the final two goals of the game for Converse as they ran out of time before the comeback could be complete.
Scoring Breakdown
1st Quarter:
2nd Quarter:
- 14:29 Madeline Hart, unassisted, 2-2 Tie
- 10:13, Hailey Morgan, assisted by Madeline Hart, 3-2 Coker
- 8:21, Brenna Everette, assisted by Hailey Obenchain, 3-3 Tie
- 5:04, Ryleigh Schaeffer (man up), assisted by Hailey Obenchain, 4-3 Converse
- 3:10, Hailey Morgan, assisted by Chole Mullen, 4-4 Tie
3rd Quarter:
- 9:12, Mia MacMillan, unassisted, 5-4 Coker
- 7:40, Abby Gross, unassisted, 6-4 Coker
- 6:02, Madelyn Robinson, assisted by Hailey Obenchain, 6-5 Coker
- 5:45, Hailey Morgan, unassisted, 7-5 Coker
- 2:58, Abby Gross, unassisted, 8-5 Coker
4th Quarter:
- 12:33, Alli Green (man up), unassisted, 9-5 Coker
- 9:57, Karter Lauer, unassisted, 9-6 Coker
- 9:41, Cassidy O'Neill, assisted by Brenna Everette, 9-7 Coker
- 6:54, Amariah Lawson, assisted by Abby Gross, 10-7 Coker
- 4:54, Cassidy O'Neill, assisted by Brenna Everette, 10-8 Coker
- 4:33, Cassidy O'Neill, unassisted, 10-9 Coker
Notables:
Points – Obenchain (4), Everette (4), O'Neill (4)
Goals – O'Neill (4), Everette (2)
Assists – Obenchain (4), Everette (2)
Saves – Collins (15)
Ground Balls – Collins (4), Sparks (3), Lauer (2), Schaeffer (2)
Caused Turnovers – Schaeffer (6), Glass (3)
Next Up:
- Converse will be back home this Wednesday evening against Montreat College. The game is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. at Weisiger Stadium.
Follow Converse
https://www.facebook.com/ConverseValkyries
Twitter:
@ConverseUWLAX
Instagram:
@conversewlacrosse
Youtube.com/Converse Athletics
