Irvine Valley College's women's volleyball team earned the top seed when the California Community College Athletic Association So. Cal. Regional Playoff pairings were announced on Sunday afternoon.
The Lasers will take on No. 16 San Diego Mesa on Tuesday at Irvine Valley at 6 p.m. in a first-round match.
The Lasers won a coin flip with also undefeated Grossmont for the top spot.
Irvine Valley, which has been ranked No. 2 in the state all season, is undefeated on the year with a record of 21-0.
Irvine Valley won its second straight Orange Empire Conference title and finished a second straight unbeaten conference schedule.
The Lasers are led by sophomore All-American Annie Mitchem. Mitchem, a 6-2 middle blocker, is the reigning AVCA 2-Year National Player of the Year. She leads the state in hitting percentage at .510, is fourth in blocks per set at 1.27 and 15th in kills per set at 4.08. Mitchem has had double figure kills in 15 matches this season with a season-high of 19 in IVC sweeps of Canyons and San Diego City.
IVC sophomore setter Hailey Jones leads the state in assists per set at 11.30.
Sophomore outside hitter Marisa Doran averages 3.42 kills and 2.63 digs and is hitting .352, freshman opposite Juju Cannon averages 2.04 kills, sophomore outside hitter Kobi Pekich averages 1.98 kills and 2.65 digs and freshman middle blocker Hannah Matt is averaging 1.58 kills and is hitting .403.
IVC has yet to drop a set at home this year, sweeping all 10 of its opponents in Hart Gymnasium.
The Lasers have lost just four sets total on the year and two of those came against nationally ranked NAIA Concordia in the season opener.
San Diego Mesa finished the regular season with a record of 14-10 overall. The Olympians were 10-6 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference, which was good for third place behind Grossmont and Palomar.
Mesa won its final two matches to end the regular season, sweeping San Diego City and then beating Mt. San Jacinto in five sets, 23-25, 25-13, 25-21, 23-25, 15-9.
Shey Smith had 13 kills, Lisabella Lemusu finished with 11 kills and Kerena Madon had 10 kills for Mesa. Sierra Ingraham added 24 digs and seven kills, Chelsea Bechtol had 23 digs and Lindsey Gordon ended with 26 assists and 18 digs. Ingraham is averaging 2.53 kills per set and 3.39 digs per set on the year.
Madon averages 2.35 kills and 1.66 digs per set. Taylor Moran is averaging 1.84 kills per set, Smith averages 1.56 kills and 1.20 blocks per set. And Gordon averages 6.82 assists and 2.29 digs per set.
Mesa is hitting .189 as a team on the season.
The winner of tonight's match will take on the winner of the No. 8 Palomar vs. No. 9 Canyons match in the second round on Saturday.
