Volleyball team still perfect after regular season finale

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

Irvine Valley's women's volleyball team completed a perfect regular season on Wednesday night.

It is the fourth perfect regular-season campaign in IVC history. Irvine Valley, ranked No. 1 in the state, beat No. 24 Orange Coast, 21-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-11, on Wednesday night on the road in the final Orange Empire Conference match of the year.

The 2007, 2013 and 2014 IVC teams all finished undefeated in the regular season. The 2014 team, led by two-year college player of the year Annie Mitchem along with current IVC assistant coach Marisa Doran, ended the year 21-0 and went on to capture the program's first state title.

This year's IVC team improved its record to 22-0. IVC also moved to 16-0 in conference action.

Sophomore outside hitter Olivia Aguilar had 18 kills, 14 digs and four blocks for the undefeated Lasers, while fellow sophomore hitter Taira Ka'awaloa added 17 kills and 16 digs.

Following pre-match Sophomore Night honors for OCC's five second-year players in attendance, Coast came out strong and played one its best all-around sets of the season.

Leading 17-16, OCC used a 4-0 run to pull ahead of the Lasers with kills from Evelyn Awai and Devyn Holland highlighting the outburst.

The lead grew to 23-17 before a 4-1 run by the Lasers made things interesting. Following an OCC timeout, Holland had a kill off of the IVC block, giving the Pirates the opening set.

It was just the fifth set that Irvine Valley had dropped all season.

IVC regrouped and came out swinging in the second set, jumping out to a 16-6 lead as the duo of Ka'awaloa and Aguilar provided the offense needed to even the match at a set apiece.

Coast trailed 22-18 in the third set, but used a crucial three-point run to get right back into the match with kills by Holland and Lim, who also came up with a big solo block to bring OCC to within a point at 22-21.

But the Lasers maintained composure and used a pair of points to extend their lead to 24-21.

OCC returned the favor with back-to-back points to force a Lasers' timeout and from there, they went to Aguilar, who ripped the final point of the set to give IVC a 2-1 lead in the match.

Irvine Valley used a pair of runs in the fourth and final set to take over and win, 25-11.

Sophomore opposite Diamond Brogan added eight kills and three blocks, sophomore libero Gabi Lau had 11 digs, freshman middle blocker Alma Entesari contributed six blocks and sophomore setter Megan Ramseyer finished with two kills, 11 digs, two blocks and 53 assists in the win.

Irvine Valley ended up with a 66-5 set advantage over opponents during the regular season.

The Lasers now await the announcement of the CCCAA South Regional Playoff pairings, which will be released on Thursday afternoon.