Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Clutch foul shooting and another clutch performance by Kaleigh Murphy.

Murphy scored 18 points in a defensive affair and the Coal Grove Lady Hornets proved deadly at the foul line down the stretch as they beat the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers 43-35 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Monday.

“It was a competitive game throughout,” said Lady Hornets’ coach Nick Miller. “Murphy played well overall. She’s really been coming on lately.”

Murphy hit a pair 3-pointers and scored 10 of Coal Grove’s 12 points in the first quarter and it was 12-10. Evan Williams hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points for Ironton.

Each team had 7 points in the second quarter as the Lady Hornets led 19-14 at the half.

Abbey Hicks had a trey and scored 5 points for Coal Grove. Isabel Morgan drained a trifecta and scored 5 points in the second quarter with Emerson White getting a bucket for Ironton.

The Lady Hornets upped the lead to 28-22 in the third quarter as Kelsey Fraley and Hicks hit 3-pointers. Teegan Carpenter and Morgan had 3-pointers for Ironton.

Coal Grove went up by 9 points in the fourth quarter before Morgan hit a 3-pointer and as the Lady Fighting Tigers got within 4 points.

But the Lady Hornets capitalized at the free throw line as Ironton was forced to foul and they had 13 of their 15 points coming at the foul line on 15 attempts. Elli Holmes was 5-of-6, Murphy 4-for-4 as she scored 6 points, and Rylee Harmon and Fraley were 2-for-2.

Williams had 6 points in the fourth for the Lady Tigers.

Besides Murphy, Coal Grove (6-2, 5-1) got 10 points from Hicks.

Morgan had 15 points including three 3-pointers and Williams scored 13 points for the Lady Fighting Tigers (3-4, 2-3) who played without starter Kirsten Williams.

On Thursday, Ironton visits Portsmouth and Coal Grove goes to South Point.

Coal Grove      12        7          9          15        =          43

Ironton            7          7          8          13        =          35

COAL GROVE (6-2, 4-1): Kelsey Fraley 0 1 3-4 6, Elli Holmes 0 0 5-6 5, Kinsey eeney 0 0 0-0 0, Alivia Noel 0 0 0-0 0, Kaleigh Murphy 3 2 6-6 18, Abbey Hicks 2 2 0-1 10, Rylee Harmon 0 0 2-4 2, Kenadee Keaton 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 11-32 16-21 43. 3-pt goals: 5. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

IRONTON (3-4, 2-3): Peyton Deer 0 0 0-0 0, Evan Williams 4 1 2-2 13, Teegan Carpenter 1 1 0-0 5, Mary Lackey 0 0 0-0 0, Chasity Cecil 0 0 0-0 0, Isabel Morgan 2 3 -2-2 15, Emerson White 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 13-48 4-4 35. 3-pt. goals: 5. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.