By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

WILLOW WOOD — The numbers were numbing.

The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings suffered through some trying numbers and still had a chance to win before losing 61-41 to the Eastern Lady Eagles Thursday in a Southern Ohio Conference game.

The Lady Vikings were within 46-41 early in the fourth quarter before going scoreless the final 6:02.

“We beat ourselves. We had our opportunities but we let it slip away in the fourth (quarter),” said Lady Vikings’ coach Brandon Walker.

Symmes Valley actually jumped out to a 17-15 at the end of the first quarter. Eastern rallied in the second quarter but the lead was just 33-29 at the break.

The Lady Vikings trailed by the small margin despite committing 21 of their 34 turnovers in the first half.

Eastern was up 46-37 at the end of the third quarter before the Lady Vikings got four points to start the final quarter.

But then Symmes Valley missed all 16 field goal attempts over the final six minutes.

The Lady Vikings were just 19 of 59 from the field for the game and only 2 of 12 from the foul line.

“We couldn’t buy a basket and not making our free throws really hurt us,” said Walker.

Symmes Valley (6-8, 6-5) plays at New Boston next Thursday.

Eastern 15 18 13 15 = 61

Sym. Valley 17 12 8 4 = 41

BEAVER EASTERN: Rhyanna Day 8 0 0-1 16, Brittney Mounts 4 0 2-3 10, Chandler Brown 4 1 0-2 11, Casey Evans 1 0 0-0 2, Kayla Alley 4 0 0-0 8, Madison Knipp 2 1 3-5 10, Cassidy Romney 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 25 2 5-11 61. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Turnovers: 23.

SYMMES VALLEY (6-8, 6-5): Malenna Davis 2 1 1-2 8, Emmy Fulks 0 0 0-0 0, Gracie Waddell 4 0 0-6 8, Elly Fulks 0 0 0-0 0, Kalli Hunt 3 0 0-0 6, Megan Johnson 4 0 1-2 9, Sarah Crabtree 1 0 0-0 2, Hannah Maynard 4 0 0-0 8, Taylor Michael 0 0 0-2 0. Totals: 19-59 2-12 41. Rebounds: 11-17=28 (Waddell 8, Hunt 5, Johnson 5). Assists: 8 (Davis 3). Steals: 15 (Johnson 4, Davis 3). Turnovers: 34. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.