Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — By playing a closer game, the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings kept the game from being close.
The Lady Vikings put the 3-point goal attempt to the side and worked on taking the ball inside as they romped past the Eastern Lady Eagles 58-28 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Thursday.
“We did a good job going to the basket and hitting the boards,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter. “We had a size advantage and we didn’t waste it.”
Jensyn Shepherd had 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots to lead the Lady Vikings (2-1, 2-0). Chelsye Napier grabbed eight rebounds as Symmes Valley had 51 as a team.
Payton Walsh had a game-high 14 pints to go with four steals and five assists for Symmes Valley. Sierra Ross had four steals and Kaitlyn Crabtree handed out four assists.
“We had good balance on offense, but the big thing is we rebounded well and played good defense,” said Carpenter.
Crabtree scored 6 of her 9 points in the first quarter as the Lady Vikings took a 14-9 lead.
Shepherd had 7 points in the second quarter and the lead was 28-16 at the half.
Walsh got 7 points early in the third quarter and the Lady Vikings outscored Eastern 18-3 to open up a 46-19.
Morgan Legg scored 13 points — 9 in the first half — to lead Eastern.
Symmes Valley plays at New Boston on Monday in an SOC game.
Eastern     9    7    3    9    =    28
Sym. Valley    14    14    18    12    =    58
BEAVER EASTERN (0-2, 0-2): Olivia Hatfield 0 2 1-2 7, Shay Tomlison 1 0 2-3 4, Mackenzie Greene 1 0 1-3 3, Morgan Legg 5 1 0-0 13, Jenny Dearth 0 0 0-2 0, Cassidy Freemont 0 0 1-4 1, Maddy Southworth 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 7 2 5-14 28. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: Hatfield, Southworth.
SYMMES VALLEY (2-1, 2-0): Kaitlyn Crabtree 4 0 1-2 9, Payton Hunter 0 0 1-4 1, Kinsey Kazee 3 0 0-1 6, Jensyn Shepherd 6 0 1-3 13, Sierra Ross 0 0 4-6 4, Chelsye Napier 0 0 0-0 0, Rachael Hayes 1 0 2-2 4, Kinzi Kitts 0 1 0-0 3, Hailee Littlejohn 0 0 0-0 0, Kassie Baldwin 2 0 0-0 4, Payton Walsh 4 2 0-0 14, Taylor Sells 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 3 9-18 58. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 51 (Shepherd 11, Napier 8). Steals: 12 (Ross 4, Walsh 3). Assists: 14 (Walsh 5, Crabtree 4). Blocks: 4 (Shepherd 3). Turnovers: 17.