ROBERTSDALE, Alabama - The Central Christian volleyball team finished in third place in a national Christian school volleyball tournament Dayton, Tenn. last week. The Saints played well throughout the entire tournament, finishing with a third place finish in their division. Overall the tournament consisted of 26 teams.

After participating in pool play format for three matches the Saints were put in the division 2 bracket after losing to one of their opponents putting them into that division. Strength of schedule and size of school also played a part in the decision process regarding the pool you were placed in.

Overall the Saints finished in third but coach Renee Crotts and the Saints played well enough to finish higher.

“Overall we finished in third place in our division,” Crotts said. “We did really well and I was happy with their play. We got to see a different caliber of teams and I knew we had some weakness but we played well and I was real proud of them. “

The tournament concluded for the Saints after a match against Shenandoah Christian Academy which lasted all three sets, finished with a Saints defeat after a good start in the final game.

“It’s the most frustrating thing any coach can go through,” Crotts said. “We were up 10-5 in game three and we couldn’t finish. It was heartbreaking we had the lead and we should’ve been able to put them away and we just couldn’t do that. “

Being placed in division 2 was a tough obstacle for the Saints to go through but finishing in third place was a good finish for Crotts and the team, who seemed to match up well with the other teams within the division.

“We played really well. They played better than they have really all season,” Crotts said. “We hung with everybody. As a coach you try not to second guess yourself too much but you look at that last game and I wonder what if I did something different. I was really confident that I had the best group on the floor.”

Even with a third place showing Coach Crotts and the rest of the Saints felt like they played well enough to finish a little bit higher.

“I really think if it wasn’t for the team that put us in the loser’s bracket, we should’ve been in the championship game,” Crotts said. “The third place finish was fantastic and overall I was heartbroken for them. We shed our tears, you feel bad for them but they fought so hard and they played really really hard.”

The Saints played well throughout the tournament and had big players such as senior libero Fallon Williams, and sophomore Becky Shelton. Williams turned heads from other teams from the very beginning of the tournament.

“They had nothing but compliments for her,” Crotts said. “She was all over the place. She was just involved everywhere.”

With the loss coach Crotts and the Saints conclude their 2012 season and look forward toward another successful season in 2013 with half of their roster leaving the team due to graduation.

“Overall I think we are still going to be pretty strong at least solid within the conference,” Crotts said. “We will be pretty strong and solid next year with a core coming back.”

At the end of the tournament the Saints players are able to look back and remember more than the wins and losses not just throughout the tournament but the season as well.

“These are lifelong memories that they are going to have; getting together for a tournament like this with their friends,” Crotts said. “Losing is always tough but you can’t always win and it continues to build character. It was a very unifying experience and I wish I could have them all back next year.”