(Chris Allen/Democrat-News) Junior Taylor Wesley led the Chiefs with 11 points, but it didn't come easily as he made only five of 18 shots from the field. [Click to enlarge]

ALMA -- The Santa Fe girls' basketball team opened Friday's final I-70 Conference game of the season as though still shell-shocked from the previous night's whipping at the hands of fourth-ranked Crest Ridge.

Concordia took advantage of the Lady Chiefs' tentative state to take a double-digit lead during the first quarter, then survived its own late-game shakiness to claim a 46-30 road win.

Santa Fe made only two of 12 shots, while turning the ball over five times, during the opening period.

Sophomore Tori Kopp made three buckets, the last off the offensive glass, senior Jaala Nierman converted a put-back and senior Megan Wood drained a three-pointer as the Lady Orioles began with a 13-2 run.

Concordia took a 12-point lead into halftime and maintained all but a point of it during the third quarter.

However, the 11-point cushion proved necessary, since the Lady Chiefs dug in defensively and didn't allow the visitors a field goal over the first six minutes of the final frame.

Senior Lauren Aversman stole the ball for a transition bucket to cut Santa Fe's deficit to 35-26 with 4:41 remaining.

Aversman made a free throw less than a minute later, then a mid-range jumper by junior Becca Woodson put the Lady Chiefs within six points with 2:46 left.

After missing four of six free throws and coughing the ball six times up to that point in the quarter, the Lady Orioles came up with some big plays. Kopp converted one free throw and Concordia recovered the miss, senior Jordan Payne sinking a follow shot.

Fouled after a defensive rebound, Payne hit both charities to make it 40-29 with 2:17 to go. That would be enough as Santa Fe couldn't hit another shot from the field.

Wood led the Lady Orioles (16-6, 5-2 I-70) with 14 points and eight rebounds and Kopp contributed 10 points, five steals and three assists.

Aversman's 10 points, four steals and three assists were highs for the Lady Chiefs (8-14, 3-4) -- who shot 19.6 percent from the field while dropping their fourth straight game.

Santa Fe will play its final home game of the season Tuesday against Lone Jack.