NEWBERRY, S.C. – The Converse University field hockey team fell 4-3 to Newberry College on Saturday morning at Setzler Field.
 
With the loss, Converse drops to 8-8 on the season and 6-8 in South Atlantic Conference action. Meanwhile, the Wolves improve to 15-3 overall and 11-3 in South Atlantic Conference play.
 
Newberry struck first in the opening quarter of action, when Parker Keeler found Lieke Varenkamp for the first goal of the contest. The Valkyries countered in the second quarter, when Catalina Pistaccio led the fast break and found Amparo Figueroa for the outlet pass. Figueroa then found senior Caroline Blair for the Valkyries first goal of the contest.
 
Right before the halftime buzzer sounded, Newberry's Emma Westbrook found the back of the net for the Wolves. Newberry went into the halftime break leading 2-1 over the Valkyries. The Wolves outpaced the Valkyries in most statistical categories in the opening half, Newberry outshot Converse 9-3 and attempted a total of nine corners in the first half of the contest.
 
In the third quarter, Tamsin Bangert scored to give the Wolves a two-goal lead over the Valkyries. About four minutes later, Catalina Pistaccio scored from the top of the arch to pull the Valkyries back within a goal at 3-2. Before the end of the third period, Westbrook found Wibien Dahmen for the Wolves fourth goal of the match.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Valkyries continued to put pressure on Newberry and eventually broke through with five minutes to go in the match. Pistaccio found fellow senior Emily Whitlow for the Valkyries third goal of the match. Converse would attempt a few more shots before time ran out, but none crossed the goal line.
 
Pistaccio led the team with a four-point performance on the day, the senior finished with a pair of assists and one goal in the match. Emily Whitlow and Carolina Blair each picked up a pair of points following their goals. Amparo Figueroa rounded out the point tallying with one assist on the day for the Valkyries.   
 
Next Up:
The Converse Field Hockey team will travel to Wingate on Monday evening, to face the Bulldogs in the First Round of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament.
 
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