The Cornersville Lady Bulldogs (2-6), playing their fourth game in eight days, finished up their contests against Maury County teams as they travelled to the little village of Santa Fe to face the hometown Lady Wildcats (0-7) Friday night.

The Lady Bulldogs are still struggling in putting points on the board as they scored only two points in the first quarter.

Cornersville rallied, only to fall short as the Lady Wildcats took a 50-40 win.

As has been the case in the preceding games, the Lady Bulldogs could only muster one free throw each from Alicia Polk and Payton Salsman as shots fell off the rim in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, Santa Fe got scoring by three of their starters as Emmy Bates scored two of her 12 points for the game while sisters Lacy and Ally Warf contributed seven points with Ally Warf nailing a three-pointer to push the lead to 9-2 at the end of the first quarter.

Cornersville began to warm up in the second quarter as Polk made a three-point play the old-fashion way and added a free throw after a made basket and the Lady Bulldogs trailed 9-5.

Baskets by Aniston Slaughter and Gracie Mills pushed Santa Fe’s lead back to eight points at 13-5.

Cornersville’s Grayson Riner scored on a short jumper, but Lacy Warf swished two free throws to make it 15-7.

Gracie Turner, an eighth-grader with size, then scored her first basket and was fouled, but missed the free throw to make it 15-9.

Terralyn Pemberton sank two free throws for the Lady Wildcats as did Slaughter to make it 19-9.

Turner sank another basket for the Lady Bulldogs, but missed the free throw.

Cornersville could draw no closer and the half ended with the Lady Bulldogs trailing by eight points.

The third quarter opened with Ally Warf canning a 3-pointer, making the score 22-11.

Cornersville’s came back with a free throw by Meri Hannah Walker and Polk scoring twice to cut the lead to 22-16 before Santa Fe responded with a basket and free throw by Mills and a field goal by Gracie Bates to push the lead to 27-16.

Polk and Turner converted field goals, but Santa Fe’s Mills scored on a jumper.

Abbie Woodard scored inside for the Lady Bulldogs and was fouled, sinking the free throw to make it 29-23.

Gracie Bates swished a free throw, but Walker drove down the lane and laid the ball in and the Lady Bulldogs trailed by five points, 30-25.

Ally Warf, the Lady Wildcats’ shooting guard, launched a three from the left side that hit the bottom of the net to make it 33-25.

Free throws by Woodard and Emmy Bates offset each other and the third quarter was in the books with Santa Fe still leading by eight points at 34-26.

The fourth quarter started well for the Lady Bulldogs as Woodard scored inside, was fouled and sank the free throw to make it 34-29.

After a Santa Fe miss, Woodard gained position again and scored down low to cut the Santa Fe lead to three points.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Lacy Warf and Emmy Bates pushed the lead back out to nine points for Santa Fe at 40-31.

A 3-pointer by Woodard cut the lead to six points 40-34 and a technical foul on Lacy Warf with four minutes left in the game put the Lady Bulldogs at the line for two shots and a chance with the ball in to cut the lead to two points.

It was not to be as both free throws rolled off and the Lady Bulldogs turned it over as the ball rolled out of bounds along with their chances of coming back.

From there, Santa Fe played keep away, leaving the Lady Bulldogs the only option of fouling to get the ball back.

Emmy Bates made the most of it, making three free throws and when she missed Ally Warf was there to put it back.

Polk sank a basket and a 3-pointer, but time ran out and the Santa Fe Lady Wildcats had their first victory of the year.

“We are glad to get to the Christmas break, the players are working hard, always giving their best,” Cornersville coach Martha Jane McMasters said. “Gracie Turner, an eighth-grader is contributing, she’s a little nervous playing against players of her own size, but working hard. She will do well.”

Cornersville 2 9 15 14-40

Santa Fe 11 8 15 16-50

Cornersville (40): Alicia Polk 15, Abbie Woodard 12, Gracie Turner 7, Meri Hannah Walker 3, Gracie Riner 2, Payton Salsman 1.

3-point goals (2): Polk, Woodard.

Free Throws (3-for--6): Woodard 3-for-6, Polk 4-for-6, Walker 1-for-2, Riner 0-for-2, Turner 1-for-6, Salsman 1-for-2.

Santa Fe (50): Emmy Bates 12, Ally Warf 10, Gracie Mills 8, Lacy Warf 6, Aniston Slaughter 6, Hattie Hedrick 3, Gracy Bates 3, Terralyn Pemberton 2.

3-point goals (5): Bates 2, Ally Warf 2, Lacy Warf.

Free Throws (15-for-26): Bates 4-for-8, Mills 2-for-5, Slaughter 2-for-3, Ally Warf 2-for-2, Pemberton 2-for-2, G. Bates 1-for-2, Lacy Warf 1-for-2, Hedrick 1-for-2.

Halftime Score: Santa Fe 19, Cornersville 11.