COEUR d'ALENE - First-year North Idaho College volleyball coach Kandice Kelly was honored before her team's match Friday with the Scenic West Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award.

Then, the NIC players did some honoring of their own, defeating fifth-seeded Snow College 26-24, 25-23, 25-17 in the Region 18 tournament semifinals at Christianson Gym.

"We came in focused tonight knowing we needed to fight for every point, every game," Kelly said. "I think we played awesome tonight."

With the win, the top-seeded and fifth-ranked Cardinals (22-8) clinched a spot in the NJCAA tournament for the fifth time in the last eight years. The tournament will be held Nov. 17-19 in West Plains, Mo.

The Cardinals play the third-seeded College of Southern Idaho today at 1 p.m. in the championship match. CSI (21-10), ranked ninth, came back from a 2-0 deficit earlier in the day to defeat second-seeded and seventh-ranked Salt Lake (22-7), clinching its berth to nationals. The Golden Eagles won the national championship in 2009.

The Cardinals fought off a pesky Badgers team in the third game, overcoming an early 5-2 deficit and scoring five straight points to take a 7-5 lead. NIC never relinquished the lead, and Mariah Smith’s kill put the match away.

“I am so relieved,” Kelly said on clinching a berth to nationals. “We’ve got a different team compared to the teams we are going to play at nationals. We are small, but we are scrappy. I think it’s going to be a different kind of match than any team we’re going to play is used to.”

The Cardinals were upset on Oct. 28 by Utah State University-Eastern, nearly costing them the chance to host the tournament.

“I think that loss was probably the best thing for them,” Kelly said. “They came back and knew every team we played against, it would be tight. Nobody is going to give us points or games.”

The Cardinals have yet to be defeated on Rolly Williams Court, boasting an 8-0 record on the season.

“Its huge,” Kelly said of hosting the tournament. “We are undefeated here and the support of our fans is just great.”

The second set was a story of two rallies as the Cardinals scored seven consecutive points off the serve of Emily Sarff to take an 18-11 lead.

The Badgers bounced back with a rally of their own, scoring six straight points, and coming as close as 24-23 in the game.

“Snow is a great team, but our girls outsmarted and outplayed them,” Kelly said. “They knew the tendencies of every player on Snow’s team.”

Middle blockers Yang Yang and Janele Vogt received first-team all-region team honors prior to the match.

Yang led the Cardinals with 10 kills and eight digs. Janele Vogt had eight kills.

“It was a great honor,” Vogt said on making first team. “I worked hard all season, but I give all the credit to my team and my coach.”

Setter Sierra Pancho was named second team all-region. The freshman had 20 assists in the match.

Sarff led NIC in digs with 12. Smith had nine digs and was an honorable mention for the all-region team.

Salt Lake seemed to be well on its way to the championship match, holding a 2-0 lead over CSI in the tournament’s other semifinal match.

But the Golden Eagles fought back, earning their first berth to nationals since 2009.

Beth Carey led the Golden Eagles with 18 kills. Ashia Joseph had 46 assists and six digs, Emily Ottinger 15 kills, four digs.

“To get in (the national tournament) feels amazing,” CSI coach Heidi Cartisser said. “Especially against Salt Lake, they’re an awesome team and I’m thankful we get to see this awesome competition every week. It’s an awesome conference.”

Maddie Bushman had 13 kills and seven digs for Salt Lake. Betty VanLith had 35 assists, seven digs, six kills and two aces.

Region 18’s Player of the Year, Leyla Redondo of Salt Lake, had 11 kills, eight digs and three aces against CSI.

“We came out on fire, but it’s funny how 10 minutes can turn a match around,” Salt Lake coach Sue Dulaney said. “We only had to get 25 points and I think we started hesitating and stopped playing as a team.”

The Cardinals are 2-2 against CSI this year, and the winner of today’s championship match will represent the Region 18A district at nationals. The loser will represent Region 18B.

“Anytime you play CSI they’re always going to be good,” Kelly said. “I think if we take care of our side, they can’t shut us down.”