Irvine Valley's women's beach volleyball team finished a busy two days on Saturday with matches against NCAA Division I squads Utah and Cal State Bakersfield on the Laser Beach courts.
The Lasers took NCAA Division II Concordia and NAIA The Master's on Friday.
IVC won one of three matches, but played some of its best volleyball of the season.
On Saturday, Irvine Valley started against Utah and took one out of five contests, although the Lasers did push another contest into three sets.
IVC picked up a victory on the second court where freshmen Emily Guenter and Jaclyn Sanchez, 21-16, 21-14.
Flights were close on every court when the Lasers took on Cal State Bakersfield later in the day on Saturday.
The freshmen team of Barett Nolan and Jolie Rasmussen won in three sets on court No. 2 for the Lasers. And on the fifth court, the freshmen duo of Sevilla Leuteneker and Gabi Brown won, 21-19, 21-17.
IVC dropped a tough matche on court No. 1 with Sanchez and Guenter falling, 21-18, 21-17.
It was a homecoming for two former Irvine Valley players Anna Unke and Alaina Gendale in the starting lineup for the Roadrunners. Unke won on the third court and Gendale was victorious on court No. 4.
Utah also defeated Cal State Bakersfield, 3-2. The Utes moved to 8-9 overall this season and has now recorded the most wins in a season since the program started in 2017.
Irvine Valley plays again next Friday at home taking on Saddleback and Fullerton in Orange Empire Conference matches. Play begins at 9 a.m. to beat what is expected to be a hot day.
Utah 4, Irvine Valley 1
1. Amaya Messier/Sage Patchell (UU) def. Nolan Barett/Jolie Rasmussen (IVC) 23-21, 15-21, 15-9
2. Emily Guenter/Jaclyn Sanchez (IVC) def. Grace Andrews/Bella Vezzani (UU) 21-16, 21-14
3. Marissa Koch/Samantha Leight (UU) def. Diamonique Brogan/Chloe Swanson (IVC) 21-9, 21-15
4. Sommer Daniel/Lauren Sayre (UU) def. Natalee Gray/Alexandra Pestolis (IVC) 21-11, 21-5
5. Sydney Jacinto/Kylie Pitzak (UU) def. Gabi Brown/Sevilla Leuteneker (IVC) 21-11, 21-9
Cal State Bakersfield 3, Irvine Valley 2
1. Cameron Solberg/Milica Vukobrat (CSUB) def. Jaclyn Sanchez/Emily Guenter (IVC) 21-18, 21-17
2. Barett Nolan/Jolie Rasmussen (IVC) def. Sophia Hladyniuk/Hana Makonova (CSUB) 21-16, 14-21, 15-x (unknown)
3. Brooke Boiseau/Anna Unke (CSUB) def. Diamonique Brogan/Chloe Swanson (IVC) 21-14, 21-19
4. Seleisa Elisaia/Alaina Gendale (CSUB) def. Kendall Fraser/Natalee Gray (IVC) 21-17, 21-15
5. Sevilla Leuteneker/Gabi Brown (IVC) def. Paige Calvin/Hayley McCluskey (CSUB) 21-19, 21-17
