Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — One bad apple spoiled this bunch.
The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings had a bad second quarter and saw their comeback attempt fall just short in a 53-49 Southern Ohio Conference loss to the New Boston Lady Tigers on Monday.
“Other than the second quarter, we played pretty well. We just didn’t finish,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter.
“Our effort was good and it has been all year. We let them get loose and hit a couple of 3s in the second quarter and just dug ourselves a hole and we couldn’t dig out of it.”
Jensyn Shepherd scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Lady Vikings and Payton Walsh hit three 3-pointers and scored 15 points.
New Boston had three players in double figure with Sami Oiler hitting five 3-pointers for 15 points, Kaylee Stone scored 14 and Ali Hamilton added 11.
The Lady Tigers made eight 3-pointers as a team.
Symmes Valley (15-7, 9-5) took a 16-9 first quarter lead as Walsh hit a 3-pointer and scored seven points. Kaitlyn Crabtree added four points and Sierra Ross had a 3-pointer.
Oiler hit two triples and Stone another for New Boston’s points.
With Walsh, Crabtree and Baldwin all missing for three minutes due to blood on their uniforms, the Lady Vikings managed just two field goals in the second quarter and the Lady Tigers outscored them 18-4 to lead 27-20 at the half.
Stone scored six points and Oiler hit two more 3-pointers to lead the scoring surge.
Shepherd scored 10 points in the third quarter including 4-of-4 at the foul line but five different players scored for the Tigers and it was 42-34.
Walsh sparked a comeback in the fourth quarter with two 3-pointers, Kassie Baldwin and Shepherd scored four points each but Hamilton had seven points including 4-of-6 from the foul line along with a 3-pointer as New Boston hung on for the win.
Symmes Valley will play Federal Hocking at 8 p.m. on Thursday in the Div. IV sectional at Meigs High School.
New Boston    9    18    15    11    =    53
Sym. Valley    16    4    14    15    =    49
NEW BOSTON (NA): Lexus Oiler 3 0 0-0 6, Mariah Buckley 1 1 2-6 7, Taylen Hickman 0 0 0-2 0, Kaylee Stone 5 1 1-2 14, Ali Hamilton 2 1 4-8 11, Sami Oiler 0 5 0-0 15. Totals: 11 8 7-20 53. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.
SYMMES VALLEY (15-7, 9-5): Kaitlyn Crabtree 4 0 0-2 8, Jensyn Shepherd 7 0 4-5 18, Sierra Ross 0 1 1-2 4, Rachael Hayes 0 0 0-0 0, Kassie Baldwin 2 0 0-0 4, Payton Walsh 3 3 0-0 15, Taylor Sells 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 4 5-9 49. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.