Irvine Valley's women's volleyball team, which has been ranked No. 1 in the state all season, earned the No. 1 seed on Thursday for the upcoming California Community College Athletic Association So. Cal. Regional Playoffs.
The Lasers will open the playoffs next Tuesday night at home against an opponent yet to be determined.
IVC will take on the winner of one of the play-in round games that take place on Saturday night.
No. 18 Santa Monica plays at No.15 Mt. San Jacinto and No. 17 Mt. San Antonio plays at No. 16 Pasadena City.
The Lasers are the defending state champion after finishing the 2017 season with a record of 27-0.
Irvine Valley has a record of 18-1 heading into this season's playoffs. The Lasers dropped their first match of the season on Wednesday night in a dramatic, five-set contest.
No. 14 Cypress came out on top, 25-18, 17-25, 15-25, 25-16, 15-8.
The Lasers still captured the Orange Empire Conference title for the second year in a row and had six players named to the all-conference team, including co-most valuable players Lea Kruse and Renata Bath.
Kruse, a freshman outside hitter, leads the Lasers. She is averaging a team-high 3.41 kills per set and is hitting .323 on the season. She also averages 2.64 digs per set and is tops on the team with 34 aces.
Bath, who was part of the state championship and undefeated squad from a year ago, is averaging 3.58 digs per set for IVC.
SOUTH
Saturday Play-in Round
#15 Mt. San Jacinto v. #18 Santa Monica
#16 Pasadena City v. #17 Mt. San Antonio
Tuesday Round 1
#1 Irvine Valley v. Lowest Seed Play-in Winner
#2 Bakersfield v. Highest Seed Play-in Winner
#3 El Camino v. #14 Fullerton
#4 Long Beach City v. #13 Grossmont
#5 Cypress v. #12 San Diego City
#6 MiraCosta v. #11 Moorpark
#7 Canyons v. #10 San Diego Mesa
#8 Orange Coast v. #9 Ventura