NEWBERRY, S.C. – The Newberry College field hockey team (5-3, 2-1 South Atlantic Conference) dropped their top-ten matchup with the Converse Valkyries 2-1.

The Wolves entered the match ranked tenth in the new NFHCA poll for the third consecutive week while the Valkyries moved up to seventh.

The game was a defensive battle. The teams combined for just six shots in the first quarter. One of those for Converse found the back of the cage in the 14th minute to give the Valkyries a one goal lead they would take into the second quarter.

The second quarter remained the defensive game that the first quarter was. The teams combined for just five shots in the quarter. The Wolves looked like they would be taking a one-goal deficit into halftime.

However, with 21 seconds left in the second quarter, the Wolves were awarded a penalty corner. Junior forward Lily Drury (Ballarat, Australia) inserted the penalty corner for the Wolves and found freshman midfielder Augustina Montserrat (Buenos Aires, Argentina) to score the equalizing goal for the Wolves. The two top-ten teams entered halftime tied 1-1.

The two teams again were locked into a defensive battle and were barely able to find a shot in the third quarter. Converse took the only shot of the third quarter in the 44th minute. The shot went past Newberry goalkeeper Peyton Hamilton (Chesapeake, Va.). The final period ended without another shot attempt from either team and the Wolves entered the fourth quarter down since their game against Millersville on Sept. 11.

The Valkyries defense was too much for the Wolves to overcome and they took just one shot in the final quarter of play. The Wolves found themselves with possession of the ball with opportunities to make something of the chance, but a series of miscues spelled the end for the Wolves and the Valkyries claimed a 2-1 victory.

The Wolves are back on the field this Saturday, Oct. 8, as they host the Wingate Bulldogs at 12 p.m.