FAYETTEVILLE — Vic Rimmer expected the Lady Bulldog Classic to be a tournament up for grabs, and the Fayetteville coach was certainly right.

Fayetteville was one of four teams that arguably could have come away with the championship trophy. But a late rally in the closing minutes against Little Rock Central in Friday’s winner bracket game fell short, sending the Lady’Dogs to the third place game instead.

Fayetteville (2-6) again fell victim to offensive struggles at the wrong times in Saturday’s contest, dropping a 38-36 decision in overtime against Mountain Home.

It was the second loss for the Lady Bulldogs in as many weeks to Mountain Home, who also defeated Fayetteville 36-33 the previous weekend at the Fat City Classic in Nettleton.

The Lady Bombers appeared primed to play the tournament fi nals themselves, before a big second-half comeback on Friday instead sent Jenks, Okla. to the championship game against Little Rock Central.

Jenks, led by senior point guard Jessica Washington — the No. 2 point guard recruit in the country according to ESPNHS — was no match for Central, though in a 54-41 loss Saturday.

“We’ve only got one senior on this team,” Central coach Michael Green said. “But we’re getting better.”

While the weekend tournament produced tough results for Fayetteville, it also dealt out so tough injury blows to the Lady Bulldogs lineup. Junior guard Caylea Moore left Thursday’s game against with a knee injury and junior guard Mollie Brewer was forced out of Friday’s game with an ankle injury.

Brewer’s ankle injury did not appear to be serious, but Rimmer said the extent of Moore’s injury is not known yet.

“We’ve had a bunch of little things like that happen, with ankles and things,” Rimmer said.

In the fifth-place game, Prairie Grove (5-3) picked up its second consecutive win of the tournament with a 37-27 decision over Collierville, Tenn. The Lady Tigers got 11 points and nine rebounds in the win from Justyne Huber and seven points from Lacey Beeks.

West Fork played in the tournament’s seventh-place game Saturday, but lost to Springfield, (Mo.) Hillcrest, 51-46, to finish the weekend 0-3.

Fayetteville and West Fork now are set to face off against one another when the Lady Bulldogs visit West Fork on Tuesday.