CENTRAL, S.C. – The Converse University women's basketball team (5-15, 3-10 Conference Carolinas) never trailed by more than nine points in their road game against the Southern Wesleyan Warriors (7-15, 3-11 Conference Carolinas) on Wednesday night in Central. The Valkyries were unable to push past the Warriors as the purple and gold fell 61-57.

Sophomore center Tatiana Brown led Converse in scoring with 15 points. Senior guard Zariyah Washington was the team's second-leading scorer with 12 points. Junior Darling Harris led the team in rebounds with nine. Brown, junior guard Alexis Becker and senior guard Elisa Solé Sanchez each recorded eight rebounds. Solé Sanchez led the team with three steals.

The Valkyries tallied 15 points on 41.2% shooting from the field in the opening quarter. Unfortunately for Converse, Southern Wesleyan went 3-for-6 from beyond the arc in the first quarter and held a two-point advantage by quarter's end. The Valkyries managed a lead of four points twice in the opening quarter but a 9-3 run for Southern Wesleyan over the final 45 seconds of the quarter put them ahead 17-15.

Both teams cooled off in the second quarter, tallying 13 points each and entering halftime with Southern Wesleyan up 30-28.

The Valkyries upped their field-goal percentage to 33.3% in the third quarter, going 6-for-18 and 1-for-3 from beyond the arc. After trailing by as many as seven points with six-and-a-half minutes to play in the third quarter, Converse drew the game even with just under two minutes to play in the third quarter. Southern Wesleyan ended the quarter on a 4-0 run and lead by four points entering the fourth quarter.

Both teams tallied 16 points in the final quarter. Converse went 3-for-14 from the field while Southern Wesleyan went 5-for-17 with one three-pointer made. Converse made 10 of their 14 free throws in the fourth quarter. After trailing by six due to an early-quarter Warriors' basket, Converse fought back and claimed a one-point lead with just over five minutes remaining in the game. Converse retied the game twice in the following two minutes before Southern Wesleyan pulled away with the contest 61-57.

Converse is back on the court on Saturday, Feb. 8 as they host the Mount Olive Trojans at the Weisiger Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 P.M.

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