By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Round one goes to the Portsmouth Lady Trojans.

In a showdown for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Lady Trojans slipped past the Fairland Lady Dragons 55-51 on Monday.

Portsmouth is now 10-1 overall and 7-0 in the OVC. Fairland lost for the first time in 12 games and is 6-1 in the league.

“It’s been a long five years building this thing. Through all kinds of adversity and practices and tough situations, and it’s really nice to see it pay off,” said Portsmouth coach Amy Hughes.

“I wasn’t worried about how my freshmen would play in this type of game. My dad (coach Mike Hughes) and my freshman have never lost to Fairland.”

The Lady Dragons will have a chance to get revenge when the teams meet again at Fairland on Feb. 5.

Daysha Reid scored 21 points and Sienna Allen had 19 to lead the Lady Trojans.

Fairland was paced by Bree Allen with 17 points and Addison Godby scored 10.

The Lady Dragons struggled to find consistency from the field. They were 18-of-52 from the floor for 34.6 percent and just 7-of-26 from behind the arc for 26.9 percent.

The game was back-and-forth in the first quarter until a steals and layup by Keke Woods put Portsmouth up 16-12.

A free throw by Codby made it 16-12 at the end of the quarter.

A layup by Reid made it 21-15 to start the second quarter, but Bree Allen and Kamryn Barnitz hit back-to-back 3-pointers and tied the game at 21.

Bree Allen’s 2 free throws had Fairland down 24-23 with 41 seconds left in the half, but Hayden Carter’s layup had the Lady Trojans up 26-23 at the half.

A 3-point play by Sienna Allen put the Lady Trojans ahead 33-23 with 6:24 left in the third quarter. Fairland battled back and got within 38-37 and on a 3-pointer by Bree Allen with 52 seconds left in the quarter.

Barnitz hit a trey from 25-feet and had Fairland within 42-40 before Sienna Allen’s layup put the lead at 44-40 to end the quarter.

Fairland tied the game twice on layups by Bree Allen to make it 47- and 49 all and then for a third time at 51-51 when Godby scored with 1:41 left.

Reid then sank a 3-pointer at the 1:20 mark and her foul shot with 17 seconds to play sealed the outcome.

Fairland   13 10 17 11 = 51

Portsmouth 16 11 18 11 = 55

FAIRLAND (11-1, 6-1): Isa Taliaferro 1-2 0-3 0-0 2, Addison Godby 3-8 0-1 4-6 10, Bree Allen 3-4 3-11 2-2 17, Kamryn Barnitz 0-1 3-5 0-0 9, Bailey Russell 1-3 1-4 2-2 7, Hannah Taylor 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Kylee Bruce 3-8 0-2 0-0 6. Totals: 18-52 8-10 51. 3-pt goals: 7-26. Rebounds: 34 (Allen 10, Godby 5, Bruce 4). Assists: 11 Godby 5). Steals: 6 (Godby 4, Bruce 2). Turnovers: 17. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.

PORTSMOUTH (10-1, 7-0): Sienna Allen 6 0 7-9 19, Daysha Reid 4 4 1-2 21, Keke Woods 2 0 1-2 5, Hayven Carter 4 0 1-2 9, Bry Shannon 0 0 0-0 0, K.K. Mays 0 0 0-0 0, Savannah Cantrell 0 0 1-2 1. Totals: 16 4 11-17 55. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.