PORTSMOUTH - It came down to the wire. Only the wire didn't hold for the Coal Grove Lady Hornets.

Coal Grove and the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers went down to the final seconds before Clay escaped with a 42-38 win Saturday.

"They're a good team. They'll do well the rest of the season," Miller said. "It's good to play teams like that. Those kind of games only make you better."

The Lady Hornets Chelsea Markins had 7 points in the first quarter and the game was even at 12-12, but Clay held Coal Grove to just 4 points in the second quarter to take a 26-16 lead at the break.

Coal Grove battled back in the second half. Markins scored 5 points in the third quarter as Coal Grove outscored Clay 11-8 to get within 34-27.

"We made some adjustments at the half and did a better job the second half," Lady Hornets coach Nick Miller said.

Tracy Tackett hit a 3-pointer with 1:05 to play to tie the game at 38-38. Clay scored to take the lead, but Coal Grove couldn't connect on its next attempt and Clay scored again to go up 42-38.

Markins led Coal Grove with 17 points. Samantha Hall added 8 points.

Katie Duduit had 13 points to lead Clay, 8-1.

Coal Grove1241111-38

Ports. Clay121488-42

COAL GROVE (5-2):

Samantha Zornes 1 0 0-0 2, Holli Swarts 1 0 0-0 2, Shanna Klaiber 0 0 0-0 0, Jill Lovejoy 0 0 0-0 0, Tracy Tackett 1 1 1-2 6, Maggie Young 1 0 1-2 3, Chelsea Markins 4 3 0-0 17, Samantha Hall 3 0 2-4 8. Totals: 11

4

4-8

38. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

PORTSMOUTH CLAY (8-1):

Katie Duduit 6 0 1-3 13, A. Jackson 0 0 0-0 0, A. Speas 0 0 0-0 0, s. Shaffer 3 0 0-0 6, C. Donini 6 0 0-0 12, McGowan 4 0 3-6 11. Totals: 19

0

4-9

42. Fouls:

6. Fouled out: None.