What turned out to be Irvine Valley's first Pacific Coast Athletic Conference match of the season ended up in a straight-set victory over San Diego City at home on Friday.
The Lasers were slated to open conference action on Wednesday at Orange Coast. But late in the first set, a power outage in the OCC gym halted play and later postponed the match. It will be made up on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Orange Coast.
Irvine Valley played the big points well and swept San Diego City, 28-26, 15-13, 26-14 on Friday to improve its record to 4-3 overall.
San Diego City's record slipped to 5-5 overall and 0-2 in conference.
IVC pulled out first and third sets that could have gone either way.
Irvine Valley led, 19-15, in the opening set after a kill by freshman opposite Garret Costello. But San Diego City scored five in a row and took a 20-19 lead on an IVC hitting error.
The Lasers answered with back-to-back kills by Costello to go ahead, 21-20. And Irvine Valley went up, 23-21 on a kill by freshman outside hitter Kyle Radecki.
San Diego City battled back with three straight points to earn a set point at 24-23. But Radecki came through with a kill to make it 24-24.
It was tied at 25 and 26 before IVC scored the final two points of the set. Freshman outside hitter Ruben Lopez scored on a tip after a great dig to keep the point alive by freshman middle blocker Jack Heinrichs and then Radecki fired an ace to close out the set.
The Lasers cruised in the second set. They led by as many as 12 points (at 17-5 and 22-10).
A kill by sophomore middle blocker Robert Ryley gave IVC a 23-12 lead. San Diego City hit a serve out to make it 24-13 two points later. And then Lopez finished the set with a kill off an assist from Heinrichs.
San Diego City led for most of a tight third set.
The Knights were up, 17-14, when Irvine Valley won four of the next five points to tie it at 18.
San Diego City later had a set point at 24-23, but Radecki came up with a kill to tie it at 24. A block by Heinrichs and Lopez on the next play gave Irvine Valley a match point. And a kill by Lopez on an overpass ended the match.
Radecki led Irvine Valley with 10 kills, Costello added nine kills and Heinrichs finished with five kills. Freshman libero Josh Evers contributed five digs and sophomore setter Peter Van Liefde had 25 assists.
Irvine Valley plays at Orange Coast on Saturday night and then travels to Palomar next Wednesday.
