Women's volleyball season ends with four-set loss to Canyons

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

The Irvine Valley women's volleyball 2022 season ended on Saturday night at home in the California Community College Athletic Association So. Cal. Regional Playoffs.

The Lasers, seeded second in the regional, gave it their all, but fell to No. 10 Canyons, 25-17, 25-22, 15-25, 28-26 in a regional final.

Canyons (20-8) moves on to the State Championships for the second straight year.

Irvine Valley, which captured the Orange Empire Conference title, finished the season with a record of 20-5 overall.

The Lasers were led by sophomore outside hitter Chloe Swanson with 13 kills and 11 digs and sophomore opposite Jayli Nealy with 12 kills, two aces and five digs.

Freshman middle blocker Avery Bennett finished with seven kills, hit .357 and had five blocks, sophomore setter Maddie Harkey ran the offense with 34 assists and sophomore libero Gabi Brown shined with 22 digs.

The Lasers fell behind early, but battled back in the third and fourth sets.

Irvine Valley had set points in the fourth set to send the contest on to a final frame at 24-23 after a block by sophomore middle blocker Kendall Fraser and at 26-25 after a kill by Bennett, but Canyons responded.

The Cougars tied the match at 26 on an overpass kill by Aly Grodell and then took a 27-26 lead on a net by IVC.

Canyons won the match on a joust kill by Grodell.