Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WILLOW WOOD — Symmes Valley made things hard on Portsmouth Notre Dame most of the game. It was the easy things the Lady Titans capitalized upon.

The Portsmouth Notre Dame Lady Titans used some clutch free throw shooting to rally past the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings 41-35 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Monday.

Notre Dame was 19 of 28 from the line while the Lady Vikings were just 3 of 14.

“I was really pleased with our defensive effort. To hold them to 41 points, especially 12 in the first half, was outstanding,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Brandon Walker.

“That’s the first time we did not speed the game up and that’s how we play best. We executed well, but getting in foul trouble in third quarter hurt us.”

The Lady Titans were up 6-4 after the first quarter but the Lady Vikings rallied to take a 15-12 halftime lead.

Notre Dame (7-0, 6-0) came back to take a 27-24 lead after three quarters. The Lady Titans then converted 12 of 16 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. Brooke Pierron was of 7 of 8 and Katie Stevenson and Jen Arnzen were 2 of 2.

“They hit their foul shots and we didn’t. That hurt us,” said Walker.

Kaitlyn Payne had 13 points to lead the Lady Vikings (4-3, 4-3). Arnzen scored 17 and Pierron 14 for the Titans.

Symmes Valley hosts Coal Grove on Thursday.

Notre Dame 6 6 15 14 = 41

Sym. Valley 4 11 9 11 = 35

PORTSMOUTH NOTRE DAME (7-0, 6-0): Katie Stevenson 0 0 2-4 2, Stacie Ramey 0 1 0-0 3, Libby Welsh 0 0 0-0 0, Madi Philips 0 0 0-0 0, Brooke Pierron 3 0 8-10 14, Sammie Martin 0 0 2-2 2, Jen Arnzen 4 1 6-8 17, Raigan Sammons 1 0 1-2 3. Totals: 11 2 19-28 41. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (4-3, 4-3): Merranda Hayes 2 0 0-3 4, Breanna Brumfield 0 0 0-0 0, Malenna Davis 0 0 0-0 0, Gracie Waddell 3 0 0-0 6, Kayla Hayes 0 0 0-0 0, Kalli Hunt 3 0 0-4 6, Megan Johnson 1 0 0-2 2, Hannah Maynard 2 0 0-0 4, Kaitlyn Payne 5 0 3-5 13. Totals: 14 0 3-14 35. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Hunt.