November 22, 2014 9:30 pm • By The Telegram Staff

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- After falling out of the championship bracket, the Raiders didn't hang their heads.

They didn't let the foot off the gas against the third-seeded team in the nation, nor did they give up going against seven different match points.

Instead, the second-seeded Central Community College volleyball team pushed forward, finishing in fifth place at the national tournament.

"Our hearts were broken," Central head coach Mary Young said about the Raiders' five-set loss to 10th-seeded Glendale Thursday -- the eventual national champion. "We were really heartbroken. We talked about getting up when you fall and they did that. They did it with a lot of enthusiasm, grace and emotion."

The second-seeded Central Community College volleyball team fought through the heartbreak with a sweep of third-seeded Illinois Central Friday and a five-set win over eighth-seeded Des Moines Area Community College Saturday to take fifth place in the National Junior College Athletic Association, Division II National Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona.

"At the end of the day, it wasn't what we had set for our destiny coming out here," Young said. "We had our eyes on the national championship, or at least the final four. We finished one place short there, but fifth place is nothing to be ashamed of. There's 125 other teams that would love to be in our place."

There was nothing more special, Young said, than watching the Raiders dust off Thursday's loss with a win over Illinois Central.

Central took down Illinois Central 25-18, 25-17, 25-20 in the fifth-place semifinals Friday.

"That was the most gratifying match of the whole tournament," Young said. "It looked like they were so energized to play. They were on a mission and they all played well."

The Raiders continued on with that mission, battling off Des Moines Area Community College 25-27, 25-23, 25-23, 15-25, 24-22 Saturday in the fifth-place match.

"It was a great season-ending match for both teams," Young said. "What a way to end."

After DMACC clipped the Raiders 27-25 in the first set, the Raiders barreled back for the next two.

Still, Des Moines was a handful, playing much more solid than its five-set win earlier in the year over Central, Young said.

"They played phenomenal," Young said of Des Moines. "They had all sorts of weapons that we didn't see earlier in the year. They were more effective than last time."

Not only did Des Moines hold off Central's push to end the match in four sets, it made a strong push itself to win the match in five.

DMACC fought from behind to tie Central at 14-all in the final set, eventually recording seven match points.

"You have to go for it," Young said of the situation. "I was so proud of our girls and I can't say enough about Skyler Erickson. I thought, at times, she put us on her back and carried us. I couldn't have asked for more out of those girls."

The Raiders called Erickson's number time and time again in the fifth set, which helped Central hold off those match points. Erickson led the Raiders with 19 kills and 20 digs in the match.

Finally, kills by Megan Anderson and Cassidy Yong boosted Central to the 24-22 win for the match.

"I will say that I was so proud of our girls in that match," Young said. "We weren't going to quit."

Anderson, who finished with 11 kills in the fifth-place match, was named to the All-National Tournament team.

Anderson also added four blocks, while Makaleigh Yantzie notched 11 kills for the Raiders, and Molly Gotschall had a team-high 24 digs. Sophomore Cassidy Yong tallied 58 set assists.

"I have a group of sophomores -- seven sophomores that have been with me for two years that did everything I asked of them," Young said. "Then, we had Cassidy as a transfer who fit in so well with our system. It's been a blessing and an honor to coach them this year. They got fifth place in nationals, but people don't see what great people they are. I get to see that every day."

Freshman Payton Chohon had 16 kills and three aces in the match for Central.

"We will come back with four freshmen and we're going to be mighty again," Young said.

Central finished the fifth-place season 37-7.

Saturday at Phoenix, Ariz.

Match 1

Central (37-7) 25 25 25

Illinois Central 18 17 20

* KILLS: Central - Skyler Erickson 14, Megan Anderson 10, Morgan Nikkila 6, Payton Chohon 5, Makaleigh Yantzie 5, Cassidy Yong 1

* BLOCKS: Central - Anderson 3, Yantzie 3, Nikkila 2, Chohon 1, Yong 1

* ACE SERVES: Central - Shayla Trotter 2, Brooke Robertson 2

* ASSISTS: Central - Yong 37, Robertson 1, Yantzie 1

* DIGS: Central - Molly Gotschall 20, Yong 11, Robertson 9, Trotter 8, Erickson 7, Chohon 4, Yantzie 3, Nikkila 2

Fifth-place match

Central 25 25 25 15 24

Des Monies Area 27 23 23 25 22

* KILLS: Central - Skyler Erickson 19, Payton Chohon 16, Makaleigh Yantzie 11, Megan Anderson 11

* BLOCKS: Central - Anderson 4, Chohon 2, Erickson 2, Yantzie 2

* ACE SERVES: Central - Chohon 3, Erickson 2, Shayla Trotter 2

* ASSISTS: Central - Cassidy Yong 58

* DIGS: Central - Molly Gotschall 24, Erickson 20, Yong 12