WILLOW WOOD — Guess what the Symmes Valley Lady Vikings got for Christmas? Their shooting touch.

The Lady Vikings shot better than 30 percent from the field for the first time this season as they beat the Eastern Lady Eagles 55-47 Thursday in a

Southern Ohio Conference game.

“We played well both offensively and defensively tonight,” Lady Vikings coach Lisa Bryant said. “That’s the best we’ve shot from the field and our free throw shooting was a great improvement from our last game.”

Symmes Valley was 21 of 43 from the floor — 49 percent —

and 11 of 16 from the line.

The Lady Vikings needed the strong shooting to help overcome the absence of point guard Kayla Saunders who missed the game with a sprained ankle.

Bryant made a few player moves to help the Vikings adjust to Saunders absence.

“Emily Bowling moved to point guard and Jennie Wilson made her first varsity start as a wing. Both of them did a great job,” Bryant said.

Bowling had a big all-around game with 19 points, 2 assists and 2 steals. Wilson led with 4 assists.

Tiffany Bryant had a game-high 24 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for the Lady Vikings (5-4, 4-3). Haily Pelletier had 6 rebounds and Natasha Pointer 8 points and 4 assists.

Tiffany Bryant scored 8 points in the first quarter and Bowling got 5 as Symmes Valley took a 15-9 lead.

Bryant got 11 points in the second quarter and the lead grew to 30-17.

Eastern got within 40-32 in the third quarter but Pointer electrified the crowd as she made a halfcourt shot backwards over her head that caused fans from both teams to stand and cheer.

Brittany Helton scored 19 points for Eastern (3-6, 2-5 SOC).

Eastern981515=47

Symmes Valley15151312=55

BEAVER EASTERN (3-6, 2-5): Desi Ison 2 0 2-4 6, Brittany Helton 7 1 2-2 19, Ashley Howell 1 0 0-0 2, Chelsea Howard 4 1 2-4 13, Stevie Wicker 0 0 3-4 3, Heather Berry 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 16

2

9-14

47. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Ison.

SYMMES VALLEY (5-4, 4-3): Tiffany Bryant 10 0 4-5 24, Haily Pelletier 0 0 0-0 0, Emily Bowling 6 1 4-4 19, Jennie Wilson 1 0 0-2 2, Natasha Pointer 1 1 3-4 8, Libby Ash 1 0 0-1 2. Totals: 21-43

(2)

11-16

55. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 23 (Bryant 8, Pelletier 6). Assists: 12 (Wilson 4, Pointer 4, Bowling 2). Steals: 11 (Bryant 2, Pointer 2). Turnover: 23.