The Allen Red Devils took down Johnson Community College for the first time since 2002 during Wednesday's five-set thriller on Neil Crane Court.

The Allen Community College Red Devils upset the fourth-ranked team in the nation during a five-set thriller Wednesday on Neil Crane Court.

Fans and players rushed the court in celebration following a lengthy review that ultimately decided the fifth set in the Red Devils? favor 20-18, giving Allen its first victory since 2002 over the Johnson County Community College Cavaliers.

?From the get-go, it felt like there was a presence on the court. Like we were going to be OK,? Allen coach Maria Aikins said. ?No one was going to back down. We knocked out a big team, which is great, but I told the girls ?We can?t stop here. We have to keep reaching for the stars and believing in each other.??

The Red Devils fought through adversity early on. They fell to the Cavaliers in the opening set 25-21, but won the next two sets, 25-19 and 25-23. Riding a high from the previous sets, Allen seemed to suffer from an adrenaline dump in the fourth, as JCCC thumped them 25-15. At points in the fifth set, Johnson County looked as if they would pull ahead for the victory, as they had every contest in the past 22 years, but Allen had other intentions.

?There are no words to explain the feeling. It?s unbelievable, crazy,? said freshman outside hitter Alissa Hadzic, who had a team-leading 16 kills. ?We were ready to fight for the last point. We were going to fight for the ball.?

Hadzic was far from the only Red Devil to reach double-digits in scoring Wednesday. Fellow freshman outside hitter Maria Santana put down 13 kills, followed by sophomore middle hitter Laurel ?Grace? Larimore and freshman outside hitter Lauren Brummet, who had 10 each. Freshman outside hitter Baylee Belt had a team-leading two aces, followed by sophomore defensive specialist Camila Afonso, freshman DS Alyssa Haefele and freshman setter Jaidyn Follis with one each.

Defensively, sophomore libero Audrey Peek had an astounding 36 digs, more than double her nearest teammate, Santana, who had 18, then Belt with 18. Sophomore middle hitter Chloe Curl had a team-leading two blocks, followed by Hadzic, Larimore and Brummet with one each. Considering JCCC has a reputation for hitting hard at the net and behind the serving line, Peek said those blocks and digs required trust in her teammates and confidence in her skills.

?It?s really easy to get shaken by a team like that, who can kill the ball the way they do,? Peek said. ?You have to trust your defense. We?ve all been doing this for 18, 19 or 20 years. You just have to trust in what you know how to do, and it will come.?

Following Wednesday?s upset, the Red Devils are 14-4 overall and second in the conference standings at 3-1 ? one game behind Kansas City Kansas Community College and Cowley Community College, who remain undefeated at 4-0. Allen returns to the hardwood Wednesday, October 1, when they host another highly ranked team in Highland Community College.

?They?re up in the rankings as well, and they have a great program too,? Aikins said. ?We got this one, but we can?t be satisfied. We have to move on to the next day.?

Article and Photo Credit: Iola Register