PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – [SCHEDULE | RESULTS | BRACKET] The 2022 NAIA Women’s Beach Volleyball Invitational was a nail biter that came down to the five's position before deciding a 3-2 win for Corban (Ore.) who became the first invitational champion on the gulf in Panama City Beach.

Vanguard (Calif.) went undefeated against NAIA schools during the regular season and the teams four losses came at the hand of teams from other associations. The Lions carried their momentum from the regular season into the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament where they would sweep the competition and win the conference tournament title and an automatic bid to the national invitational.  The team would enter the NAIA Invitational with an 11-game win streak.

Corban (Ore.) went undefeated against NAIA schools during the regular season as the Warriors only regular-season losses were to teams from other associations. Corban made its way through the California Pacific/Cascade Collegiate Grouping tournament and lost in the championship match to Westcliff (Calif.). The team received an at-large bid to the tournament being rated No. 5.

Vanguard and Corban were placed in the same pool and opened up pool play against each other. Vanguard won 4-1 as the Warriors five’s pair was the only pair to take a match off of Vanguard.

Both teams would go on to play and defeat Webber (Fla.) (VU 4-1, CU 3-2)

Because Vanguard won its pool they got a bye through the first round of bracket play and advance straight to the semifinals.

Corban faced Ottawa (Ariz.) in the first round going 3-2 with the match coming down to the four position for the decision.

The Warriors would then get a rematch of their conference groupings tournament and won 3-0 with wins from the one, four and five positions (match played to decision).

Webber had another shot at Vanguard in the semifinals but the Lions would win again 4-1 to advance to the finals.

The teams opened and ended the week playing each other as they met each other on championship Saturday.

The Lions picked up the first match win of the game at the two’s position with Morgan Nash and Vashti Elias Pomero.

The Warriors tied the game up at one match piece as Corban’s Kianna Keeling and Cameron Keeling won at the three’s position.

Haily Herder and Madison Arnold of Vanguard gave the Lions the lead once more with a win at the four's position.

Avari Ridgway and Makenna Campbell of Corban would tie things up at two matches apiece with their 2-0 win at the one’s position.

All that was left was the fives in their third set of the match. Jolinn Daviscourt and Megan Dennis of Corban came from behind in the third set and closed out the win for the Warriors with an ace off the hand of Dennis to win the match and the game.

All-Tournament Team

Vanguard, Conley Harris & Natalie Escher

Vanguard, Morgan Nash & Vashti Elias Pomero

Corban, Avari Ridgway & Makenna Campbell

Webber, Montana Pelak & Bailey Sikkema

Westcliff (Calif.), Gianna Guinasso & Sierra Lim

MVP Pair of the Tournament: Corban, Avari Ridgway & Makenna Campbell

Pair of the Year: Westcliff (Calif.), Gianna Guinasso & Sierra Lim

Coach of the Year: Kris Dorn, Vanguard