WILLOW WOOD — The defense was there again. The offense didn’t even show up.

The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings couldn’t convert on the offensive end as they fell 36-33 to the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers Monday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

The Lady Vikings made just 15 of 57 floor shots for 26 percent and converted only 2 of 8 foul shots.

“The bottom line was we could not put the ball in the hole,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Lisa Bryant. “We did not rebound well at all. We got out of position on the defensive end.”

Clay didn’t shoot well from the field, but the Lady Panthers managed to make 9 of 17 foul shots to provide the difference in the game.

Erica Corn and Brooke Skinner had 10 points each for the Lady Vikings. Ada Humphrey grabbed 6 rebounds, Corn had 7 steals and Jessie Morris had 4 steals and 4 assists.

Clay took a 12-6 lead at the end of the first quarter but the Lady Vikings came back to take a 16-15 halftime lead.

The Lady Panthers came back to take a 25-24 lead after three quarters. Symmes Valley had a couple of chances to score during the final 11 seconds including a 3-point attempt by Nikki Nance that hit the rim and rolled off at the buzzer.

“That was the kind of night we had. We had opportunities and we could not take advantage of them,” said Bryant.

Symmes Valley and Clay are both 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the SOC, one game behind league leader New Boston.

“I said every game will be dogfight in this league. We are still okay and, hopefully, we will get back on track Thursday,” said Bryant.

The Lady Vikings play at Green Thursday in a league game.

Ports. Clay 12 3 10 11 = 36

Sym. Valley 6 10 8 9 = 33

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (2-2, 2-1): Katherine Bauer 5 0 2-3 11,Chelsea Beegan 0 1 0-0 3, Emily Spriggs 1 0 0-0 2, Maddie Whitley 1 0 1-2 3, Julie Williams 1 0 1-2 3, Sarah Pelfrey 0 0 0-0 0, Holly Hempill 4 0 5-10 13. Totals: 12 1 9-17 36. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

SYMMES VALLEY (2-2, 2-1): Nikki Nance 2 0 0-0 4, Brooke Skinner 5 0 0-0 10, Chelsea Wall 0 0 0-0 0, Jessie Morris 1 0 0-4 2, Kayla Hayes 2 0 0-0 4, Erica Corn 3 1 1-2 10, Ada Humphrey 1 0 1-2 3, Caitie Bloomfield 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-57 (1) 2-8 33. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Morris. Rebounds: 20 (Humphrey 6, Morris 4, Skinner 3). Steals: 19 (Corn 7, Morris 4). Assists: 4 (Morris 4).