PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – In just its second full season of existence, the No. 5-ranked Corban University beach volleyball team cemented its place in history on Saturday, defeating No. 1-ranked Vanguard University in a five-match thriller to claim the first-ever NAIA Beach Volleyball National Invitational Championship.

"We came to play today, plain and simple," said head coach Diana Villalpando. "We knew we had to play our best today in order to win. These girls have worked so incredibly hard this year and I'm so unbelievably proud of this team, including the girls who didn't make the trip and are at home. We couldn't have done this without every single member."

CLICK HERE to watch Villalpando's interview after the historic win.

The top-ranked Lions already defeated Corban once in Florida, beating them by a 4-1 dual score in their first battle this week.

Undeterred, the Warriors responded with a valiant effort on Saturday, one that come down to the wire. Tied two matches a piece, it all came down to the No. 5 tandems in a fierce battle for the hardware. That match went all the way to three sets, and it took extra points for the deciding set to be decided, as Corban's Jolinn Daviscourt and Megan Dennis outlasted Vanguard's Cambria Fernandez and Emilee Hall for a thrilling 16-14 victory in the third set, clinching the title.

"Jojo and Megan knew it came down to their game and fought hard for every point," said Villalpando of the deciding match, "They stayed mentally tough and battled for the win."

CLICK HERE to watch the final point of the nail-biting rubber match.

Top tandem Makenna Campbell/Avari Ridgway and No. 3 duo Cameron and Kianna Keeling also claimed victories in the triumph.

#5 Corban 3, #1 Vanguard 2

1. Makenna Campbell/Avari Ridgway (CRB) def. Conley Harris/Natalie Escher (VU) 23-21, 21-13
2. Morgan Nash/Vashti Elias Romero (VU) def. Nicole Bantilan/Maya Blake (CRB) 21-13, 21-13
3. Cameron Keeling/Kianna Keeling (CRB) def. Emma Galloway/Carly McKinney (VU) 21-14, 21-17
4. Madison Arnold/Hally Herder (VU) def. Briana Ayala/Jessica McMillian (CRB) 21-15, 21-14
5. Jolinn Daviscourt/Megan Dennis (CRB) def. Cambria Fernandez/Emilee Hall (VU) 16-21, 21-18, 16-14

It's an unforgettable end to a magical season for the second-year Warrior program, which has now firmly cemented itself as an elite destination to play beach volleyball nationwide.

Corban ends the historic season with a 22-7 overall record, which included three wins over NCAA Division I adversaries, a runner-up finish at the Cal-Pac Championships, and the inaugural title at the NAIA National Invitational.