The Irvine Valley women's volleyball team will do battle with Orange Coast one more time this season on Saturday night at 6 p.m. at IVC.
And the stakes couldn't be any higher.
The Lasers and the Pirates will meet in a 3C2A So. Cal. Regional Playoff final with a trip to the state tournament at Mt. SAC Dec. 1-3 on the line.
The two squads split their matches in Orange Empire Conference play this year with IVC rallying down two sets to win in five at home and then OCC defeating the Lasers in four sets at Orange Coast.
Orange Coast has a record of 18-7 overall and is the No. 12 seed in the So. Cal. Regional playoffs.
The Pirates went on the road Tuesday and upset No. 5 Saddleback, 25-22, 19-25, 25-18, 26-28, 15-10.
On the season, OCC is led by Kingsley Mason, who is averaging 2.76 kills per set. Lulu Utterback averages 2.73 kills and 2.72 digs per set and Jocelyn Martinez averages 1.75 kills.
Caroline Vasquez is averaging 3.35 digs per set and setter Jordan Packer averages 5.26 assists and 0.64 aces per set for OCC.
Irvine Valley is the No. 4 seed in Southern California and finished as a co-champion of the OEC.
The Lasers (20-4 overall) defeated Pasadena City, 25-16, 25-21, 25-16, Tuesday night at home in the second round of the playoffs.
Sophomore middle blocker Natalia Brandlin had another star performance with eight kills, a .500 hitting percentage and five blocks to pace the Lasers.
Sophomore outside hitter Tessa Marocco added seven kills and eight digs, sophomore opposite Ava Guenther had five kills, two aces, four digs and five blocks.
Sophomore middle blocker Avery Bennett contributed four kills and three blocks, freshnan libero Audrey Fowler ended with 10 assists and sophomore setter Mia Bertolone ran the offense with 25 assists and added seven digs and two blocks for IVC.
Marocco is averaging 3.58 kills, 3.19 digs and 0.74 aces per set, Brandlin averages 2.32 kills and 1.23 blocks per set. She is also hitting .449, which tops the state.
Fowler is averaging 4.44 digs per set and Bertolone, who led the state in assists during the regular season, averages 11.23 per set.
The winner of Saturday's match moves on to the 3C2A State Championship Tournament Dec. 1-3 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.
