Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

NEW BOSTON — That wasn’t a hole the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings dug. It was more like a well.
The Lady Vikings fell behind 15 points in the first quarter and could never recover as they lost 68-54 to the New Boston Lady Tigers on Monday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.
The Lady Tigers outscored the Lady Vikings 27-12 in the first quarter and led 44-25 at the half as they shot 63 percent from the field in the first half.
“We played them pretty much even the rest of the game, but we just dug ourselves too big of a hole,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Alvin Carpenter. “We weren’t playing that bad, they just didn’t miss.”
Symmes Valley (2-2, 2-1) was led by Jensyn Shepherd with a game-high 20 points. Payton Walsh and Kaitlyn Crabtree scored 14 each.
Walsh also had 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals. Sierra Ross had 6 assists and 3 steals.
New Boston had four players in double figures. Kalie Stone scored 18, Lexus Oiler 17, Ali Hamilton 14 and Mariah Buckley 12.
Oiler scored 9 points in the first quarter as New Boston took its big lead. Ross had all 5 of her points in the quarter for the Lady Vikings..
Shepherd scored 8 points in the second but Stone got 9 for New Boston and the lead was 19 at the half.
Crabtree got 11 points in the third quarter as the Lady Vikings outscored New Boston 20-1 to trail 56-45.
But New Boston was 6-of-6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
The Lady Vikings hosts Western on Thursday.
Sym. Valley    12    13    20    9    =    54
New Boston    27    17    12    12    =    68
SYMMES VALLEY (2-2, 2-1): Kaitlyn Crabtree 6 0 2-3 14, Jensyn Shepherd 10 0 0-0 20, Sierra Ross 1 1 0-0 5, Rachael Hayes 0 0 1-2 1, Payton Walsh 1 4 0-0 14, Payton Hunter 0 0 0-0 0, Kassie Baldwin 0 0 0-0 0, Kinsey Kazee 0 0 0-0 0, Chelsye Napier 0 0 0-0 0 Kinzi Kitts 0 0 0-0 0, Taylor Sells 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-55 3-5 54. 3-point goals: 5-15. Rebounds: 27 (Walsh 7). Assists: 15 (Walsh 6, Ross 6). Steals: 6 (Ross 3, Walsh 2). Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.
NEW BOSTON: Lexus Oiler 7 1 0-0 17, Mariah Buckley 2 1 5-6 12, Taylen Hickman 1 0 0-0 2, Kalie Stone 5 2 2-2 18, Ali Hamilton 4 0 6-8 14, Tammy Oiler 1 1 0-0 5. Totals: 20 5 13-16 68. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 38.