Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

BEAVER — Symmes Valley Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter had a lot of players to praise. That’s because he had a lot of players do things that were praise-worthy.
With a lot of players contributing, the Lady Vikings beat the Eastern Lady Eagles 60-51 on Thursday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
Rachael Hayes had a game-high 25 points, Kylie Deer 10 points six rebounds and three assists, Jenna Malone six points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a blocked shot, and Emily Johnson 14 rebounds.
“Malone played a really steady all-around game. She and Johnson and Deer controlled the boards,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter.
“Hayes attacked the basket really well. Littlejohn, Hunter and Cade all played good defense.”
Morgan Saulsbury had 17 points, Mackenzie Greene 12 and Andrea Lester 11 for Eastern.
The Lady Vikings led 14-12 after the first quarter as Hayes got eight points and Deer hit a 3-pointer. Greene and Abby Cochenour had triples for Eastern.
Symmes Valley opened up a 31-20 halftime lead as Hayes got eight more points in the second quarter and Deer added another trifecta.
Greene hit a pair of treys and Saulsbury had seven points as the Lady Eagles cut the deficit to 45-39 at the end of the third quarter.
But Kaylee Cade had four points off the bench and Hayes got four more and the Lady Vikings outscored Eastern 15-12.
Symmes Valley host South Gallia on Thursday.
Sym. Valley 14 17 14 15 = 60
Eastern 12 8 19 12 = 51
SYMMES VALLEY (5-3): Jenna Malone 3 0 0-0 6, Payten Hunter 0 0 3-4 3, Kylie Deer 1 2 2-2 10, Taylor Sells 2 0 0-0 4, Rachael Hayes 9 0 7-12 25, Kaylee Cade 2 0 0-2 4, Hailee Littlejohn 2 0 0-0 4, Emily Johnson 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 23-65 12-20 60. 3-pt goals: 2-8. Rebounds: 21-O, 19-D = 40 (Johnson 14, Malone 11, Deer 6). Assists: 16 (Malone 7, Deer 3, Johnson 3). Steals: 10 (Sells 3, Johnson 3, Hunter 2, Malone 2). Blocks: 2 (Littlejohn, Malone). Turnovers: 7. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.
EASTERN (NA): Skylar White 1 0 0-0 2, Addison Cochenour 0 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie Greene 0 4 0-0 12, Morgan Saulsbury 7 1 0-0 17, Abby Cochenour 0 3 0-0 9, Shaelyn Tomlinson 0 0 0-2 0, Andrea Lester 5 0 1-2 11. Totals: 13 8 1-4 51. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.