Irvine Valley's women's volleyball team used timely runs all night long to sweep Orange Coast, 25-17, 25-22, 25-17, in a key Orange Empire Conference match at IVC on Wednesday.
The Lasers used a 7-0 streak in the first set to take control and then went on an important 5-0 run in the third set - keyed by the serving of sophomore defensive specialist Jade Parham - to knock off the Pirates and remain in first place in the conference standings.
Orange Coast trailed IVC by one match for first place heading into the contest.
Irvine Valley, ranked No. 1 in the state and now riding a 38-match win streak, improved its record to 11-0 overall and 7-0 in conference. Irvine Valley has still dropped just one set all season.
No. 20 Orange Coast went to 15-2 overall and 6-2 in conference.
The Lasers got 13 kills, 10 digs and three aces from freshman outside hitter Lea Kruse and six kills each from sophomore outside hitter Alyssa Vortouni, sophomore middle blocker Jacqueline Wolfe and freshman middle blocker Kristin Austin.
Freshman defensive specialist Alaina Gendale finished with eight digs, sophomore libero Renata Bath had six digs and freshman setter Truth Hafey ended with 33 assists.
Irvine Valley trailed, 5-3, in the first set before scoring seven points in a row. Kruse had two kills and Kruse and Wolfe combined for a block during the run.
Later up, 13-11, in the first set, the Lasers scored four straight points to take a 17-11 lead. Kruse was at it again with a kill and two aces and freshman outside hitter Gabriela Griego had a block for a point.
Orange Coast didn't get closer than four points the rest of the way in the set. Irvine Valley got to 24-16 on a tip winner by Kruse and then two points later, Orange Coast served out to end the set.
Irvine Valley trailed, 8-4, to start the second set, but rallied back to go up, 19-15.
Orange Coast didn't give in, scoring four points in a row. A kill by Lily Johnson tied it at 19-19.
But Irvine Valley took the lead for good on back-to-back kills by Kruse. An overpass kill by Austin and later a kill by Austin, put IVC ahead, 24-21.
And a hitting error by Coast made it 24-21.
After a kill by the Pirates' Bailey Coffin, Irvine valley ended the set on a crosscourt kill by Griego.
Irvine Valley was chasing from the start in the third set. The Lasers rallied back from six points down at one point to tie it at 11-11 on an ace by Kruse. Orange Coast got a kill by Johnson to regain the lead at 12-11.
And then Parham stepped up big for IVC. Thanks to her serving, including two aces, IVC went on a 6-0 run to take a 17-12 advantage.
The Lasers cruised from there. A kill by Wolfe on a slide play made the score 19-14 for IVC and after two straight kills by Kruse, the Lasers led, 21-15.
A kill by Vortouni gave Irvine valley match point at 24-17 and Kruse finished off the contest with an ace.
Irvine Valley plays again on Friday against another tough conference opponent, hosting Cypress at 6 p.m.
