By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

PROCTORVILLE — The Fairland Lady Dragons needed a real “pick me up.”

They got it from their defense.

Fairland’s defense stepped up and held Rock Hill to just 15 points in the second half as the Lady Dragons rallied for a 55-48 Ohio Valley Conference win Thursday.

“We played better in the second half. Our intensity picked up,” said Fairland coach Jon Buchanan. “We didn’t shoot the ball better in the second half, but we did a good job keeping them from getting out and running.”

Fairland (8-9 was just 17 of 62 from the field for 27 percent including 9 of 26 the first half. But the Lady Dragons did convert 18 of 27 from the foul line.

“We were getting open looks. The shots just didn’t fall,” said Buchanan. “But we shot free throws about as well as we have all year. The girls stepped up and knocked them down.”

Kerie Napier had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Fairland. Katie Fuller added 11 points while Kayla Swiger scored 10. Samantha Lamb grabbed seven rebounds.

Rock Hill (5-11, 1-6) shot 17 of 51 from the floor for 33 percent and made 11 of 21 free throw attempts.

Brittany Thompson had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Redwomen, Tommi Butler scored 11 points with Dani Crabtree and Chelsea Harper grabbing six rebounds.

Swiger hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight points in the first quarter as Fairland took a 17-16 lead. Thompson had five points for Rock Hill.

Harper scored five points in the second quarter as Rock Hill rallied to take a 33-24 halftime lead.

But the Lady Dragons held Rock Hill to eight points in the third quarter as they got within 41-37.

Fuller scored eight points in the fourth quarter, the defense held Rock Hill to seven points and the Lady Dragons connected on 8 of 10 at the line as they rallied for the win.

Rock Hill 16 17 8 7 = 48

Fairland 17 7 13 18 = 55

ROCK HILL (5-11, 1-6): Chelsea Harper 2 1 1-2 8, Kelsey Blagg 0 0 0-0 0, Brook Knipp 1 0 0-0 2, Nicole Stamper 0 2 1-2 7, Courtney Duncan 2 0 3-6 7, Tommi Butler 5 0 1-2 11, Brittany Thompson 4 0 4-7 12, Brooke Hanshaw 0 0 0-0 0, Dani Crabtree 0 0 1-2 1. Totals: 17-51 11-21 48. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 3-11. Rebounds: 27 (Thompson 9, Crabtree 6, Harper 6).

FAIRLAND (8-9, 6-2): Katie Fuller 2 0 7-10 11, Kayla Swiger 2 2 0-0 10, Jaimie Phillips 0 0 3-5 3, Chandler Fulks 2 1 0-0 7, Lauren Poe 1 0 2-2 4, Briana Dickess 0 0 0-0 0, Taylor Phillips 0 0 0-0 0, Tori Garrett 0 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Hessel 0 0 1-2 1, Haley Woodall 0 0 0-0 0, Sam Lamb 2 0 3-4 7, Kerie Napier 5 0 2-4 12. Totals: 17-62 18-27 48. Fouls: 22. Fouled out: Lamb. 3-point goals: 3-16. Rebounds: 46 (Napier 12, Lamb 7). Assists: 4 (Fulks 2, Fuller 2).