CHESAPEAKE — Rachel Harris may not be thinking about working for the Red Cross, but she did offer the Chesapeake Lady Panthers some relief.

Chesapeake’s 6-foot-4 center Sara Rucker usually draws the attention of opposing defenses. Harris stepped in with some key help Thursday to help the Lady Panthers beat the River Valley Lady Raiders 39-35 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Rucker scored 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked five shots, but Harris came to her aid with 12 points and a couple of blocked shots.

“We had a big game from Rachel Harris. Her scoring helped relieve some of the double teaming on Sarah. We need that from her,” Chesapeake coach John McClung said.

Beth Payne scored 19 points to pace River Valley (2-7, 1-3).

Rucker scored six points in the first quarter to offset five by Payne as Chesapeake (3-6, 1-3) took a 10-7 lead.

Rucker and Harris scored six points each in the second quarter and the Lady Panthers held River Valley to just three points to open up a 22-10 halftime lead.

River Valley rallied in the third quarter as Payne scored seven points and the Chesapeake lead was just 30-27.

But Rucker got five of Chesapeake’s nine points in the fourth quarter as the Lady Panthers held on for the win.

McClung said holding the Raiders Kristen Carter to just four points was a key to the win.

“We wanted to shut down Carter. She had 14 the last time we played, so Harris did a good job shutting her down. That was Rachel’s best game all year,” McClung said.

“Holly Black hit a big 15-footer down the stretch that opened up the lead and let us run some clock.”

River Valley73178=35

Chesapeake101289=39

RIVER VALLEY (2-7, 1-3): Rachel Walburn 2 0 0-0 4, Beth Payne 7 1 2-4 19, Kristen Carter 2 0 0-0 4, Kayla Smith 0 0 0-2 0, McKenzie Cluxton 0 1 2-2 5, Ilianna Corsius 0 0 1-2 1, Brooke Taylor 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 12

2 5-10

35. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 26

CHESAPEAKE (3-6, 1-3): Rachel Harris 6 0 0-0 12, Holly Black 1 0 0-0 2, Paige Nelson 3 0 0-0 6, Sarah Rucker 8 0 3-6 19, Tasha England 0 0 0-0 0, Susie Jaime 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18

0

3-6

39. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 24. Rebounds: 22 (Rucker 10). Blocked shots: 8 (Rucker 5, Harris 2).