It has been an unbelievable two years so far for seven ladies on the Irvine Valley women's volleyball team.
Irvine Valley, coach Tom Pestolesi and his coaching staff celebrated Truth Hafey, Anna Unke, Lea Kruse, Alaina Gendale , Kristin Austin, Gabriela Griego and Alma Entesari on Wednesday night in the final home match of the regular season for the top-ranked and undefeated IVC.
Those seven players along with the rest of the Lasers then went out and did what they have basically done all season – defeat another opponent.
Irvine Valley ran its record to 21-0 overall and 14-0 in the Orange Empire Conference with a 25-12, 25-17, 25-13 victory over Golden West.
It was the Lasers' 18th sweep of the season and 13th in a row. Irvine Valley, which wrapped up its third OEC title in a row last Friday, has now won 41 straight sets.
In all, the seven IVC sophomores ran their record to an incredible 42-2 over the last two seasons.
"And they are just getting better and better," Pestolesi said. "And they are such a special group of kids. I couldn't ask for much more from them."
Irvine Valley led from start to finish in the opening set on Wednesday. Golden West pulled within 7-6, but Irvine Valley then went on a 14-2 run to take control.
Two kills by Kruse, an ace by Hafey and a kill by Griego helped give Irvine Valley a 21-8 lead.
The Lasers reached set point on a kill by Gendale and won the set when Golden West hit out.
The Rustlers played the Lasers tough in the second set.
The set was tied at 11 after a kill by Golden West's Madison Holmes.
But Irvine Valley took off from there. The Lasers went on a 12-4 run and took a 23-16 lead on a kill by Gendale.
After Jessica Getz recorded a block to get Golden West within 23-17, IVC captured the final two points of the set. Golden West hit into the net and then Kruse came through with a kill to give the Lasers the set and a 2-0 lead.
Irvine Valley raced out to an 11-5 lead in the third set and never looked back.
Back-to-back kills by Austin put IVC in front, 20-11, and soon after the Lasers took a 23-11 lead.
A kill by Gendale moved Irvine Valley to match point and three points later Golden West hit out to end things.
Gendale continued to shine for the Lasers, finishing with 14 kills and nine digs. She also hit .542.
Austin, who leads the state in hitting percentage, had 12 kills and hit .529 and Kruse ended up with 10 kills, three digs and two blocks.
Unke had another big night with 15 digs and Hafey, who paces the state in assists, contributed two kills, dour digs and 43 assists.
The Lasers play their final two matches on the road. They are at Cypress on Friday at 6 p.m. and then wrap up the regular season next Wednesday at Saddleback at 6 p.m.
