Spartanburg, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Converse Valkyries on Saturday afternoon in a 22-3 final score.
The Warriors picked up 12 shots with 10 being on target in the loss to the Valkyries. Lexi Richrdson, Fianna Steves and Maree Hernandez all scored in the game. Steves went on to have the lone assist.
Southern Wesleyan won seven draw controls with Aleiza Manns leading the team with three. Fianna Steves followed with two draw controls. The Warriors caused 11 turnovers as a team. Steves caused four and Lexi Richardson caused three. Steves went on to pick up five of the eight ground balls.
Ava Lombardi, Caroline Lark and Hannon Graybeal each spent time in the cage. Lombardi started the game in the cage and led the team with eight saves. Lark and Graybeal each had one save.
Match Vitals
Final: Converse 22, Southern Wesleyan 3
Records: Southern Wesleyan (1-8 / CC 0-3) Converse (2-6 / CC 1-0)
How It Happened
The Valkyries went on the attack early on as Brooklyn Walker collected a pass from Hailey Obenchain and then sent it into the back of the cage. Converse would not relent as Obenchain scored back-to-back goals within ten seconds to extend the Valkyries lead to 3-0. Mack Moreau and Rinna Beth Brooker each took shots on the cage, but Reagan Collins would not let their attacks find the back of the net and cut into Converse's lead. Fianna Steves caused the Collins to turn the ball over off a clear and passed it right to Maree Hernandez. Hernandez got the ball past Collins to score the first goal of the afternoon for the Warriors. With just over a minute left in the quarter, Lexi Richardson collected the ball and fired it off into the back of the cage to put the Warriors within one goal of the Valkyries.
Converse surged ahead as Hailey Obenchain and Karter Lauer each scored. Southern Wesleyan challenged as the Warriors cleared the ball down the field and then Hayley Billings took a shot on the cage, but Reagan Collins prevented the Warriors from scoring off the attack. The Valkyries would not relent as they scored several more times to lead 14-2 at halftime.
Rinna Beth Brooker took a shot on the cage early in the third quarter, but the ball went just wide of the cage. Zoey Jacobs passed the ball up to Gencie Coan who scored the fifteenth goal of the afternoon for the Valkryies. Maree Hernandez, looking for her second goal of the game, took another shot on the cage, but Abigail Skee was able to save the ball from finding the cage. The Warriors continued to challenge as Fianna Steves picked up the ground ball off the save and sent it right into the cage for the Warriors third goal of the afternoon.
Southern Wesleyan challenged early in the final quarter as Aleiza Manns went on the attack, but Abigail Skee deflected her shot from finding the back of the cage. Seconds later, Hailey Obenchain scored once again to extend Converse's lead to 19-3. The Valkyries pushed on with more goals by Obenchain and Karter Lauer. Shots by Fianna Steves and Lexi Richardson were saved by Skee to prevent the Warriors from cutting further into Converse's lead. The Valkyries went on to win the game in a 22-3 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain on the road on March 11 as they travel to Cleveland, GA to take on the Truett-McConnell Bears at 6pm. They will then host their Senior Day on March 15 as they welcome the Chowan Hawks to the Joe R Gilbert Track and Field Complex at 1pm. The Warriors will travel to Young Harris, GA on March 26.
