The Cornersville Lady Bulldogs (2-5) continued their early season contests with Maury County teams when they travelled to Zion Christian Academy to face the Lady Eagles on Thursday night.

The Lady Bulldogs players, still battling cases of the flu and poor shooting woes, fell to the Lady Eagles 35-32.

“It’s something we’re going through, we’ve had different lineups because of the flu but it (shooting) will come around,” said senior Payton Salsman, who sat out the game with the effects of the flu.

Cornersville controlled the tip and Camille Finch grabbed the ball and went on the offense.

Alicia Polk’s shot was off the mark and Zion Christian came down the court and Ella Fox scored on a jumper to make it 2-0.

Fox connected on another basket to make it 4-0 before Polk and Abbie Woodard scored on back-to-back possessions to tie the game.

ZCA’s Fox, scoring all the Lady Eagles’ points in the quarter, then canned a three-pointer to put the Lady Eagles up 7-4.

Woodard scored inside for the Lady Bulldogs to cut the lead to 7-6 and Polk dropped in a free throw to tie it at 7-7.

MerriHannah Walker connected on a jumper to put the Lady Bulldogs up 9-7 as the first quarter came to a close.

Zion opened the scoring in the quarter before a Polk three-pointer put the Lady Bulldogs back in front 12-9.

Caroline Fox and Deanna Trousdale scored inside to put the Lady Eagles in the lead 13-12 while shots were still rolling off or bouncing off the front of the rim for the Lady Bulldogs.

Polk broke the drought with a short jumper to put the Lady Dawgs back in front 14-13 and Lexi Warren came up with a jumper from the right side to make it 16-13, but Ella Fox drained a 3-pointer to tie the game at 16 and that was the score at halftime.

Cornersville came out scoring as Polk and Woodard connected on two-pointers to put the Lady Bulldogs up 20-16 before Ella Fox connected on a three-pointer to cut the lead to 20-19.

Cornersville put together a big 7-2 run to surge ahead 27-21, but the Lady Eagles cut the lead to four by the end the third quarter.

Fatigue set in for both teams in the fourth quarter as they committed unforced errors and ZCA closed in with free throws to tie the score at 30 with 4:55 left in the contest.

Caroline Fox canned a basket to put the Lady Eagles up 32-30 with 3:43 left in the game and both teams went cold from the field.

Cassie Kennedy hit a free throw with to push the lead to 33-30 with 51.4 seconds left before Cornersville’s Gracie Turner scored on a put-back to cut the ZCA lead to 33-32 with 44.5 seconds remaining in the game.

Caroline Fox was fouled and added two free throws with 30.2 seconds left to make it 35-32.

With time running out, the Lady Bulldogs had one last chance with 10.8 seconds left, but a travelling call ended the threat and ZCA had their victory 35-32.

“The players are playing hard, but the baskets are not falling and that hurts,” Cornersville coach Martha Jane McMasters said. “We’ve got to get ready for tomorrow night’s game at Santa Fe, get to the holidays and get over the flu. Everybody is sick.”

Cornersville 9 7 14 2-32

Zion Christian 7 9 10 9-35

Cornersville (57): Alicia Polk 14, Abbie Woodard 9, MerriHannah Walker 5, Lexie Warren 2, Gracie Turner 2.

Three-point goals (1): Polk.

Free Throws (3-for-6): Woodard 1-for-2, Polk 1-for-2, Walker 1-for-2.

Zion Christiaan Academy (35): Ella Fox 18, Caroline Fox 7, Deanna Trousdale 6, Cassie Kennedy 4.

Three-point goals (2): E. Fox 2.

Free Throws (8-for-12): C. Fox 6-for-6, Kennedy 2-for-4, E. Fox 0-for-2.

Halftime Score: Zion Christian 16, Cornersville 16.