The North Idaho College volleyball team won three of its four games at the NJCAA tournament last year to finish fifth.

But with no starters back from last year's squad, and a first-year coach as well, the Cardinals will rely on their defense and speed to remain in the national title hunt.

"This is a completely new group," NIC coach Kandice Kelly said. "We've come a long ways since the start of the season. Our sophomores have really stepped up and have seen what nationals is like. They know they all have to step up and play their role. Everyone is pretty ready for this and has worked hard to get here. We've won a lot of games under pressure this year."

NIC (22-9) drew the seventh seed in the tournament and will face 10th-seeded Central Florida (40-6) on Thursday at 9 a.m. (PDT) at Missouri State University. They were the sixth seed last year.

"We know absolutely nothing about them right now," Kelly said. "But we've got to believe that every team is going to be giant."

Central Florida lost in three games to Miami-Dade in the finals of their district tournament. NIC beat Miami-Dade in three at the Southern Idaho Invitational in September.

"We've got to believe that they're not used to our style of play," Kelly said. "And we're not going to make those hitting errors that we did against CSI."

CSI (22-10) is the fifth seed and will face 12th-seeded Mineral Area (33-5) at 1 p.m. on Thursday. Western Nebraska (38-1) is the defending champion and seeded second.

Blinn College (34-0) of Brenham, Texas, is the top seed.

"The only thing I know is that we're on the opposite side of the bracket as CSI," Kelly said. "When it comes to nationals, any team will be good. Whether we're No. 5 or 7, we need to come and play our game anyway. Our seeding doesn't matter."

Kelly was an assistant at the University of Montana after her playing career at Montana State.

“I’m excited, thrilled,” said Kelly her first nationals appearance. “I’m so happy the girls have brought me this far. It’s so different from what I’m used to. What a year it has been. It’s been an emotional year, but I’m ecstatic and couldn’t be any happier. I just hope we come prepared.”

NJCAA TOURNAMENT

at Missouri State University,

West Plains, Mo.

Times PST

Thursday, Nov. 17

First round

Match 1 — No. 3 Western Wyoming (36-2) vs. No. 14 Barton (29-12), 7 a.m.

Match 2 — No. 6 Iowa Western (42-7) vs. No. 11 Temple (22-18), 7

Match 3 — No. 7 North Idaho (22-9) vs. No. 10 College of Central Florida (40-6), 9

Match 4 — No. 2 Western Nebraska (38-1) vs. No. 15 Western Texas (21-12), 9

Match 5 — No. 1 Blinn College (34-0) vs. No. 16 Gadsden State (32-8), 11

Match 6 — No. 8 Eastern Arizona (28-3) vs. No. 9 Miami-Dade College (23-4), 11

Match 7 — No. 5 Southern Idaho (22-10) vs. No. 12 Mineral Area (33-5), 1 p.m.

Match 8 — No. 4 San Jacinto (30-3) vs. No. 13 Wallace State-Hanceville (41-3), 1