Reinking and Earnest win conference pairs beach volleyball title

Courtesy of On My Game Photography
Courtesy of On My Game Photography

Irvine Valley's sophomore pair of Emily Reinking and Hailee Earnest captured the Orange Empire Conference Individuals Beach Volleyball Tournament last Friday at the Newland Street Courts in Huntington Beach.

The duo defeated Golden West's top team of Jasmine Hogan and Jill Pineda, 21-10, 21-10, in the final.

Reinking and Earnest are both defending state pairs champions.

Reinking teamed with Annie Mitchem and Earnest played with Samantha Holdredge to win individual state titles a year ago.

They both were also key reasons why Irvine Valley claimed the inaugural state team championship a year ago.

Reinking and Earnest defeated teammates in both the quarterfinals and semifinals.

They defeated IVC's team of sophomore Hannah Matt and freshman Carlee Roethlisberger in the quarters and then the duo of sophomore Kayla Scheevel and freshman Olivia Aguilar, 21-13, 21-11, in the semis.

Scheevel and Aguilar reached the semis after upsetting Fullerton's top team in the round of 16 and then beating the Golden West duo of Alyson Utke and Kate Stanjevich.

The pairs that reached the quarterfinals of the event qualified for the CCCAA State Championships Tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Grossmont College.

IVC had its top three teams of Reinking and Earnest, Matt and Roethlisberger and Scheevel and Aguilar move on.

Irvine Valley will play next as a team on Tuesday at home, hosting MiraCosta and Bakersfield in a three-way regional playoff match that will determine which team moves on to CCCAA State Championships team event on Friday at Grossmont.