VIDALIA, La. –&160;Vidalia High’s girls basketball season came to an unexpected end here Thursday as the District 3-2A Lady Vikings fell to Many 69-61.

Many, 19-13, was a wild card team out of District 4-2A.

&uot;We had five teams that battled all season,&uot; said Lady Tiger coach Darrin Dyess. &uot;One had to be left out that was just as good as us, and that was Rosepine.&uot;

Vidalia finishes its season at 25-7.

&uot;We just ran up against a good team,&uot; said Vidalia forward Natalie McGraw. &uot;We knew they had a good ball-handler, but it’s still a game we should have won.&uot;

Vidalia came out and forced two quick turnovers in taking an 8-5 lead with Brendy Ellis hitting two baskets.

Many tied and took an 11-10 lead on two free throws by Syble Jacobs.

Behind the slick ball-handling and passing of University of Louisiana-Monroe signee Eddetra Holden, the Lady Tigers took a 21-13 first quarter lead, as Jacobs scored two baskets underneath on passes from Holden.

Many had six turnovers in the first quarter, while the Lady Vikings turned the ball over five times.

&uot;Most of our girls are seniors and it took us four years to teach them to play man-to-man,&uot; Dyess said. &uot;We knew Vidalia was real quick and we had trouble with that in the first three minutes. We went to a half-court trap and it gave them problems so we stayed with it the rest of the way.&uot;

Vidalia hit only 6 of 16 shots in the second period, while Many was 5 of 18 from the field as the Lady Tigers led 31-27 at intermission.

Ellis scored Vidalia’s first three field goals of the period as Vidalia pulled to within 23-21.

Vidalia went to a full court press in the third quarter and forced three straight turnovers to take a 33-31 lead on a Wendy Paul basket, which led to a quick Many time out.

&uot;I just told the girls they had to step it up and we had to make our free throws,&uot; Dyess said. &uot;We had to get the ball in hands of our ball-handler.&uot;

The Lady Tigers then scored 16 straight points, including 3-pointers by Avery Carter and Sanressa Scott.

Vidalia turned the ball over five times during that stretch.

Ellis cut the lead to 53-45 late in the period, but a basket by Marquita Woodson put Many up 45-35 going into the final quarter.

Holden helped the Lady Tigers to a 58-45 advantage early in the fourth.

A 3-pointer by Brittnay Williams cut the Lady Tiger lead to 62-53 with 3:51 remaining.

After a Lady Tiger basket and free throw, Williams added another 3-pointer wth 1:26 left to cut the Many lead to 67-58.

Ellis came back with a 3-pointer to pull the Lady Vikings to within, but 67-61, but Vidalia would get no closer.

Vidalia was led by Ellis with 26 points, while Williams and McGraw added 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Many was led by Jacobs and Scott with 16 each, while Holden added 15.

&uot;They were a physical group,&uot; said Vidalia coach Lillian Johnson, who loses only Williams from this year’s team. &uot;Our shots were not falling and we couldn’t make our free throws. They’ve got a good ball club. We started coming back, but we had gotten down too far. We’ll have to learn from it and come back next year.&uot;