Irvine Valley's men's volleyball team was on point from the start on Friday night.
The Lasers played one of their best matches of the season and definitely their most efficient in a 25-14, 25-16, 25-10 nonconference win over Palomar.
The win continued IVC's solid start to the 2022 campaign.
Irvine Valley improved its record to 6-2 overall.
Up, 19-13, in the first set, the Lasers outscored the Comets, 6-1, to take a 1-0 lead.
A block by freshman outside hitter Karl Stenlund and freshman middle blocker Trevor Weinert ended the first set.
Palomar started fast in the second set, scoring the first four points. But the Lasers came right back, pulling within 5-3 and then scoed four points in a row and took a 7-5 lead on a kill by Stenlund.
IVC led the rest of the way. Two kills by freshman outside hitter JT Demure helped give IVC a 21-15 lead.
A kill by freshman outside hitter Josh Beymer and a hitting error by Palomar gave the Lasers match point at 24-16.
And another hitting error by the Comets ended the second set.
Irvine Valley raced out to a 12-5 lead in the third set on a kill by freshman opposite Caden Perkins.
The Lasers led, 17-7, and then, 18-8, on two more kills by Perkins.
A kill by freshman outside hitter Colin Chillingworth gave IVC match point.
And then freshman opposite Griffin Book finished it off with a kill off of a set by freshman libero Adam Schulte.
The Lasers hit an impressive .524 as a team on the night. Coach Ryan Windisch said it was the best offensive number that he has ever had a team hit.
Irvine Valley only had five hitting errors in the contest.
Stenlund finished with 10 kills and hit .474, freshman outside hitter Jaden Churchill had six kills and hit .714 and Perkins had four kills and hit .667.
Freshman setter Donovan Gudino ran the offense with 28 assists and also had two kills. Schulte contributed nine digs and Stenlund added six digs and four blocks.
Irvine Valley turns around and is back in action on Saturday, hosting NCAA Division III UC Santa Cruz at 2 p.m.
Fans are welcome with social distancing and masks are required.
