FRANKLIN FURNACE — There were just too many rungs on the ladder.

The Green Lady Bobcats fourth quarter comeback fell just short as they lost 41-39 to the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers Thursday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

Green (3-3, 3-3) trailed by 9 points after three quarters before staging their rally.

“The girls never quit. We threw a press at them and made a run at them, we just didn’t have enough time,” said Green coach Bucky Bridges.

Lauren Jones had 16 points and 9 rebounds for Green while Adrianne Blankenship got 17 points, 7 steals and 3 assists.

“Jones played huge for us tonight,” said Bridges.

Holly Hempill and Katherine Bauer had 14 points each and Chelsea Beegan 10 for Clay.

Clay led 12-8 after the first quarter despite 8 points by Jones.

Blankenship scored 6 points in second quarter but Green trailed 25-18 at the break.

Clay led 32-23 after the third quarter. Jones scored 9 and Blankenship 5 as Green rallied in the fourth quarter only to fall short.

Ports. Clay 12 13 7 9 = 41

Green 8 10 5 16 = 39

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (5-2, 4-1): Katherine Bauer 6 0 2-7 14, Chelsea Beegan 2 2 0-0 10, Emily Spriggs 0 1 2-5 5, Maddie Whitley 0 0 0-2 0, Julie Williams 0 0 2-4 2, Holly Hempill 4 2 0-2 14. Totals: 12 5 6-20 41. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

GREEN (3-3, 3-3): Ali Suttles 0 0 0-0 0, Gidget Timberman 1 0 0-0 2, Hannah Collett 0 0 0-0 0, Dinah McCloud 1 0 0-0 2, Brianna Johnson 1 0 0-0 2, Lauren Jones 6 0 4-8 16, Adrianne Blankenship 2 3 2-2 17. Totals: 12 3 6-10 39. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 23 (Jones 9, Suttles 4). Assists: 8 (Blankenship 3, Jones 2). Steals: 12 (Blankenship 7, Timberman 4). Turnovers: 12.