Men's volleyball team is No. 3 in state for third straight week

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

Irvine Valley's men's volleyball team remained ranked third in this week's California Community College Men's Volleyball Coaches Association State Poll.

The top five teams were all the same as last week. 

Long Beach City remained at the top for the fourth straight week and stayed one of two undefeated teams left in the state after winning two more matches last week.

The Vikings went to 8-0 after sweeps over No. 2 Orange Coast and No. 8 LA Pierce. Long Beach City has still dropped just two sets all season. The Vikings are hitting .332 as a team and led by Andrew Pearson, who is hitting .542, and Steven Rotter, who is hitting .326. In their 26-24, 25-19, 25-14 win at home over Orange Coast last Wednesday, Rotter had 18 kills and hit .444, Pearson had 10 kills and hit .700 and Remi Pourrat finished with 10 kills and hit .400.

Orange Coast remained at No. 2 in the rankings. OCC's record fell to 5-2 on the year after the loss to Long Beach City. Both of Coast's losses have come to the Vikings this year. The Pirates host San Diego Miramar and San Diego Mesa this week.

Irvine Valley, which has a record of 4-1 and haswon four matches in a row, had last week off from game action. The Lasers, led by sophomores Matt August, Patrick Furlong and Austin McBain, play at Grossmont on Wednesday.

Fourth-ranked Santa Barbara City (4-0) also had a break in its schedule last week. The Vaqueros, who are the other undefeated team in the state, is back in action, hosting LA Trade Tech on Wednesday and then playing a big match at El Camino on Friday.

Santa Monica also stayed in its same spot in this week's poll at No. 5. The Corsairs had last week off after winning a pair of matches on Feb. 9 over Grossmont and Fullerton at the Fullerton quad. Santa Monica (3-2) has won three matches in a row. It hosts No. 9 Moorpark on Wednesday.

El Camino jumped two places in this week's poll from eighth to sixth after rallying to beat Fullerton, 17-25, 13-25, 25-19, 27-25, 15-8, last Wednesday at home. El Camino (3-2) was paced by Matthew Donatucci with 15 kills, Kevin Le with nine kills and 11 digs and Joseph Sico with 43 assists.

Fullerton fell a spot to seventh in the poll and LA Pierce slipped two placed to eighth. Moorpark is at ninth this week with Golden West making its first appearance of the season at No. 10 after earning three straight wins, which were all sweeps.

CCCMVCA State Top 10

1. Long Beach City (8-0)

2. Orange Coast (5-2)

3. Irvine Valley (4-1)

4. Santa Barbara City (4-0)

5. Santa Monica (3-2)

6. El Camino (3-2)

7. Fullerton (3-3)

8. LA Pierce (2-3)

9. Moorpark (2-3)

10. Golden West (3-3)

Others receiving votes: Antelope Valley, Miramar