SALT LAKE CITY - What goes up ...

The College of Southern Idaho volleyball team sleepwalked through the first two sets of Saturday's Region 18 Tournament championship match with Salt Lake Community College. Salt Lake buckled in the third and fourth as the Golden Eagles rallied, but the Bruins held on for a 25-18, 25-14, 22-25, 22-25, 15-11 win to claim the region championship and a berth in the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

CSI (27-6) will host No. 9 Eastern Arizona at 7 p.m., Tuesday for a chance to join the Bruins in Iowa.

The Golden Eagles missed on earning that bid Saturday by committing 44 errors in the match, including nine on serves and six while fielding Salt Lake's serve.

"Salt Lake served aggressively, and our serve receive - which we haven't had to worry about this season - struggled," said CSI coach Heidi Cartisser. "But I like that this team battled, and never gave up. They showed fight."

The Golden Eagles rode the hot hands of Jessica Peacock (22 kills, a match high) and Torrey Hulsey (16), but were unable to get either of their outside hitters firing. Salt Lake got double-digit kills from three players - Ame White led with the 27-7 Bruins with 17, Erika Charry had 16 and LaKell Havens had 14.

The Bruins also had 13.5 team blocks, led by nine assist-blocks from Charry.

"They had all guns blazing, and our outsides just didn't step up," said Cartisser.

The fact that they have another chance to qualify for the national tournament didn't register with the players, based on their expressions after the match. Some were quiet, others sullen. They knew a great opportunity slipped through their fingers - just as the ball slipped through the hands of Samantha Misa as she tried to set a Salt Lake serve down 10-12 in the fifth.

It was an error at the most inopportune of times, and summed up CSI's day a nutshell: Lots of desire, lots of fire, but lacking in execution.

"We keep fighting and never back down," said Hulsey. "We just need to start stronger."

That get that chance Tuesday against Eastern Arizona when the winner goes to nationals and the loser is done for the season.