BELMONT, N.C. – The Converse University women's basketball team (8-17, 6-12 Conference Carolinas) dropped their Thursday afternoon matchup against the Belmont Abbey Crusaders (20-5, 14-3 Conference Carolinas) at the Wheeler Center on the campus of Belmont Abbey.

Senior guard Elisa Solé Sanchez led all players with 17 points. She was tied with Belmont Abbey junior guard Cate Schieber for most rebounds in the game at six. Graduate guard Jordan Brown was the Valkyries' second-leading scorer with 11 points. Solé Sanchez and senior guard Zariyah Washington led Converse with two steals each.

Converse jumped out to a 3-0 lead just over 15 seconds into the game and held onto the lead until Belmont Abbey sank their second layup of the game with 5:42 remaining in the first quarter. Converse shot 40% from the field and went 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. The Valkyries held the Crusaders to just one three-point field goal in the first quarter. Belmont Abbey led 17-11 after the game's first 10 minutes.

Converse managed to mirror their first-quarter production in the second quarter, putting up another 11 points. Belmont Abbey scored 19 in the quarter and went up 36-22 at halftime.

Converse had its best quarter in the third quarter. The Valkyries went 5-for-8 from the field and 2-for-5 from beyond the arc. The Valkyries were also aided by six Belmont-Abbey fouls resulting in nine free-throw opportunities in the quarter. Converse went 9-for-9 from the charity stripe in the third quarter. Both teams put up 21 points in the quarter and Belmont Abbey took a 57-43 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Crusaders outpaced Converse 18-11 in the final quarter and won the game 75-54.

The Valkyries are home one more time for the 2024-25 season as they host the Erskine Flying Fleet for senior day on Saturday, Feb. 22. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 P.M. with senior day festivities to follow after the conclusion of the game.

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