Irvine Valley's women's basketball team started the 2017-18 season with a tough 63-57 win over Citrus in the opening round of the Pasadena City College President's Roundball Classic on Thursday afternoon.
Citrus' record dropped to 2-2 overall on the year.
Irvine Valley led, 17-12, after the first quarter, but ran into some offensive trouble in the second quarter.
The Lasers were out-scored, 13-7, in the second period and went into halftime trailing, 25-24.
IVC scored 20 points in the third quarter, but still trailed by a point heading into the fourth and final period.
The Lasers caught up there and then pulled the game out for their first win.
Freshman guard Lexi Vail came off the bench to lead the team in scoring. She ended with 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting from the floor.
Sophomore forwards Kasey Smit and Kiara Warren each added 10 points. Smit also had five rebounds, three assists, seven steals and two blocks in the contest.
Warren also chipped in six rebounds and three steals.
Sophomore forward Jenna Rodriguez came off the bench with seven points and four rebounds and sophomore guard Elizabeth Garcia, who played a team-high 41 minutes, had seven points, three rebounds and three assists in the win.
Irvine Valley will take on the winner of the game between Sequoias and College of the Desert in the semifinals on Friday at 2 p.m.
