Cedar Rapids, IA - The Scottsdale Fighting Artichokes volleyball team fell short of winning the national championship as they lost to Richard Bland (VA), 3-2.

No. 6 seed SCC lost the first two sets, 24-26 and 23-25. But were able to pull together two straight-set victories, 25-22 and 25-19, to tie the match and go to a fifth set.

It was a back-and-forth battle to determine the national champion in the fifth and final set, but the No. 5 seed RBC Statesmen were able to win narrowly, 16-14.

Earlier on in the national tournament, SCC won their first-round match handily, 3-0. They then came back to win their quarterfinal match over No. 3 seed Cowley (KS), 3-2, after being down 2-0. In the semifinals, The Artichokes defeated the defending national champions and No. 2 seed Parkland (IL), 3-0.

SCC (26-2) was looking to win its sixth national title in program history and its first since 2019.