SPARTANBURG, S.C.— The Montreat women's lacrosse team defeated the Converse University Valkyries, 14-13, in Spartanburg, S.C. on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Cavaliers are now 3-1 on the year and are off to their best start in the program's seven-season history.
 
Converse (0-1) got off to a strong start, registering the first two goals of the day while holding Montreat scoreless through nearly seven minutes. Even when Kate Gauntlett put the Cavs on the board with an unassisted goal at the 8:02 mark, the hosts were able to answer just 1:19 later.
 
Mina Hicks and Gauntlett scored less than 30 seconds apart at 5:10 and 4:44, respectively, leveling the contest at three. A Converse goal and Jarboe tally wrapped up the first quarter with both sides even.
 
Montreat went on run, recording four of the game's five goals scored through 3:42 in the second frame. Gauntlett scored back-to-back goals, while two Jarboe strikes sandwiched a Valkyrie score.
 
Trailing 8-5, the hosts rattled off three consecutive goals, two of which came late in the first half. Converse's third goal over the 2:32 span once again tied that game, this time at eight.
 
The Cavaliers and Valkyries traded goals midway through the third quarter, with Dovie Yates and Gauntlett putting the Cavs up a single goal each time. Gauntlett's sixth goal of the contest, followed by Izzy Knight's first, gave Montreat just a sliver of breathing room at 12-10 with under five minutes remaining in the third frame; however, two more late goals by the hosts tied the game at 12 entering the final quarter.
 
Both sides played to a defensive stalemate through the opening stretches of the final frame, but Montreat managed to break through with two quick goals just 18 seconds apart. Knight registered the go-ahead goal at 6:43, and Aleea Bone added an insurance goal with her first tally of the day via a Yates' feed.
 
Converse scored to pull within a goal at 3:33, and the hosts even struck the post in the closing minutes, but the Cavaliers limited the number of Valkyrie chances to see out a 14-13 victory. The win gave Montreat its best start in program history, as well as its second-ever win against an NCAA Division II program.
 
Gauntlett led all scorers with six goals and an assist, while Jarboe added a hat trick and two assists. Knight registered two goals and a helper in the win.
 
Carlie Henning, who made eight saves during the contest while adding an assist, played a big role in the effort to hold the Valkyries to just one goal in the final quarter.
 
"We try to play as a team, so we all really worked off of each other and encouraged each other," Henning said.
 
The Cavaliers took 37 shots on the afternoon, 30 of which were on frame. For the hosts, 22 of their 32 shots landed on target. Montreat held the edge in turnovers (18-14) and clear percentage (73-67), but the Valkyries did well on ground balls (21-17).
 
"I think the players showed a lot of poise and composure at the end of the game to close out the victory," said head coach Tom Flynn. "We talk about the process of winning close games, and we're learning that process."
 
The Montreat women's lacrosse team starts a three-game homestand next week by hosting Erskine College on Tuesday. The initial draw is scheduled to happen at 4:00 p.m. in Black Mountain, N.C.