FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. – The Converse University women's basketball team dropped their conference opener against the Emmanuel University Lions by a final score of 81-72 on Saturday afternoon.

Senior Andrea Gutierrez Ciordia led Converse in scoring with 16 points, her fourth consecutive game scoring double-digit points. 
 
How It Happened
Converse won the opening tipoff but didn't score until 7:45 in the opening quarter, cutting into an early Emmanuel lead. Converse trailed between one and two points until senior Andrea Gutierrez Ciordia sank a three pointer, tying the game at 11 with 3:18 remaining in the quarter. Just over a minute later, she sank a three to give the Valkyries their first lead of the game. After an Emmanuel field goal, Converse scored the final six points of the quarter to go up 20-15.

Despite the Lions coming out gunning for the lead in the second quarter, Converse held on to it for the entire 10 minutes of the quarter. The Valkyries' largest lead was 12 points and they led 36-28 at halftime.

Senior Mazie Helpman sank the first basket of the second half to put Converse back up by double digits. Emmanuel chipped away at the lead over the first five minutes of the half and got the lead down to just one point, 43-42, with 5:45 to play in the third quarter. After losing the lead, Converse rallied back to tie the game at 50 points with 54 seconds left in the quarter. Wright-Thompson sank a three 30 seconds later to put Converse back on top, but Emmanuel retied the game at 56 points each heading into the final 10 minutes of the game.

An early 9-2 run over the first two and half minutes of the quarter proved the difference as Emmanuel won 81-72.
 
Inside the Box Score

• For the fourth game this season, Gutierrez Ciordia led the Valkyries in scoring. She recorded 16 points on 6-13, 46.2 percent, shooting from the field and 2-5, 40.0 percent, shooting from beyond the arc.
• Three other Valkyries scored in double digits: senior Mazie Helpman (14), freshman Madison Fileen (13) and freshman Jaclyn Wright-Thompson (12).
• Gutierrez Ciordia led Converse in rebounding with nine boards.
• Fileen dished out seven assists, more than half the team's totals.
• As a team, Converse shot 26-71, 36.6 percent, from the field and 14-46, 30.4 percent, from three-point range.

Up Next
The Valkyries begin their home slate as they host Claflin on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 P.M.

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