By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — You can generally count on the Chesapeake Lady Panthers to play good defense.

And right now, you can count on them to win.

The Lady Panthers used a strong defense to stay unbeaten as they topped the Gallipolis Blue Angels 48-38 Tuesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Kate Ball scored a game-high 20 points, Erin Hicks had 12 points and Abbey Isaacs 11 points to pace the Chesapeake offense.

“Gallia is big and much improved. We had to play physical against them,” said Lady Panthers’ coach Chris Ball, “Parrott, Romans and Mitchell controlled the paint defensively.

“Erin Hicks had a great game. She knocked down four 3s. Kate played through some illness and finished well at the rim. It was a good team win..”

Ball hit a 3-pointer and scored 8 of Chesapeake’s 9 points and the game was tied at 9-all.

Hicks, Isaacs and Cierra Nichols all hit 3-pointers while Ball had 4 points as Chesapeake took a 22-15 halftime lead.

Gallipolis cut the deficit to 35-31 in the third quarter as Ryen Nunn had 5 points including a 3-pointer, Taylor Barnes hit a 3-pointer while  Loulea Walker and Kenya Peck scored 3 points each.

Hicks drained a pair of trifecta and Isaacs hit a 3-pointer and scored 5 points  to keep the Lady Panthers ahead.

In the fourth quarter, Hicks knocked down her fourth 3-pointer, Ball had 6 points including a pair of free throws as the Lady Panthers pulled away by outscoring the Blue Angels 13-7.

Nunn and Peck scored 9 points each and Walker 8 for the Blue Angels (2-3, 1-2).

Chesapeake 9 13 13 13 = 48

Gallipolis 9 6 16 7 = 38

CHESAPEAKE (3-0, 2-0): Sara Dillon 0 0 0-0 0, Erin Hicks 0 4 0-0 12, Chloe Parrott 0 0 2-6 2, Abbey Isaacs 2 2 1-2 11, Clairynn Romans 0 0 -0 0, Kate Ball 5 1 7-10 20, Cierra Nichols 0 1 0-0 3, Abby Mitchell 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 7 8 10-18 48. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.

GALLIPOLIS (2-3, 1-2): Chloe Bennett 0 0 0-0 0, Ryen Nunn 3 1 0-4 9, Taylor Barnes 0 2 0-0 6, Mallory Petro 3 0 0-0 6, Loelea Walker 3 0 2-4 8, Kenya Peck 3 0 3-7 9. Totals: 12 3 5-15 38. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None.