SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Converse University women's basketball team (3-9, 1-4 Conference Carolinas) went toe-to-toe with one of the conference's top-teams, the Shorter University Hawks (8-2, 3-1 Conference Carolinas) in the first half of their Saturday matchup. But a strong defensive effort from the Hawks foiled the Valkyries' upset plans as Shorter returned to Rome, Georgia with a 56-47 victory.
Saturday afternoon's contest was the first-ever time the two schools faced off on the court and is also the first time they have faced off in any sport since Shorter joined Conference Carolinas this academic year.
Junior guard Andrea Gutierrez Ciordia led the Valkyries with 15 points. She also posted four rebounds, tied for the second-most rebounds by any Valkyrie. Graduate guard Alisa Davenport and senior guard Elisa Solé Sanchez also posted double-digit scoring with 11 and 10 points respectively. Solé Sanchez led the Valkyries in rebounding with six.
Converse held Shorter to 14 points in the opening quarter, limiting the Hawk's offense to 41.7% shooting from the field while Converse went 63.6% and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
The Valkyries' best quarter came during the second period of play as they held Shorter to just over 30% shooting while shooting 37.5% from the field themselves. Most impressively, the Valkyries held Shorter without a three-point make in the second quarter. By the end of the first half, Converse held what would go on to be their largest lead of the game, 30-23.
Turnovers and missed shots plagued the Valkyries in the second half as their shot output was cut nearly in half between the second and third quarters and the team suffered its worst field goal percentage of the game in the fourth quarter. With the offensive woes, the Valkyries fell by a final score of 56-47.
Conference-Carolinas action continues for the Valkyries as they host last season's northwest division co-champions, the Belmont Abbey Crusaders, on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 P.M.
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