LATHAM — The object of the game is to win.

Symmes Valley coach Lisa Bryant wasn’t pleased with the way it looked, but she was more than happy that her Lady Vikings came away with a 46-45 win Thursday over the Western Lady Indians in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

“It’s not a game that will go down into the record books, but a win is a win,” said Bryant.

“The last three days off from school (due to the weather) showed tonight on the offensive end and really on the defensive end as well. There was little focus.”

A tip-off to the type of game it would be came in the first quarter as the Lady Vikings scored the only two points of the stanza.

“It’s pretty bad when only one team scores in a quarter and it’s only two points. That is how this game went for most of the evening,” said Bryant.

Brittany Reader had 7 points in the second quarter as Western came back to take a 14-13 halftime lead. Brooke Skinner had 5 points and Ada Humphrey 4 for the Lady Vikings.

In the third quarter, Nikki Nance drained a 3-pointer while Skinner, Jessie Morris and Erica Corn scored 4 each but the Indians countered with 10 points by Kelci Hawk to grab a 33-30 lead.

But the Lady Vikings came backing the fourth quarter to outscore Western 18-12.

Trailing by 8 points with three minutes to play, the Lady Vikings’ press began to force turnovers and trigger the comeback.

Skinner had 6 points in the quarter including a pair of free throws to put the Lady Vikings up by one. Western failed to make three foul shot attempts down the stretch as the Lady Vikings held on.

Skinner had a huge game with 15 points and 17 rebounds as Symmes Valley finished fourth in the SOC at 8-6. Morris finished with 8 points, 4 assists and 3 steals.

Symmes Valley will play Racine Southern at 8 p.m. Monday at Athens High School in the Div. IV sectional tournament.

Sym. Valley 2 11 15 18 = 46

Western 0 14 19 12 = 45

SYMMES VALLEY (8-10, 8-6): Nikki Nance 2 1 0-2 7, Brooke Skinner 6 0 3-4 15, Chelsea Wall 0 0 0-0 0, Jessie Morris 4 0 0-1 8, Kayla Hayes 3 0 0-0 6, Erica Corn 3 0 0-0 6, Ada Humphrey 2 0 0-2 4. Totals: 21-62 3-9 46. 3-point goals: 1. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 40 (Skinner 17, Nance 7, Humphrey 6). Steals: 13 (Morris 3). Assists: 5 (Morris 4). Turnovers: 18.

WESTERN (NA): Arica Gragg 0 0 0-0 0, Lacey Jenkins 0 0 0-0 0, Morgan Ross 2 0 1-3 5, Abby Henderson 0 0 3-4 3, Kelci Hawk 6 0 1-2 13, Brittany Reader 1 3 2-4 13, Hannah Fraley 1 0 0-1 2, Shelly Russell 0 0 0-2 0, Sharon Kerns 0 3 0-2 9. Totals: 10 6 7-18 45. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Fraley.