Irvine Valley's women's volleyball team could never seem to get untracked on Wednesday night in an Orange Empire Conference match against Fullerton at home.
It cost the Lasers their unbeaten record in conference play.
Fullerton won its third straight match with a 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, 25-21 victory over IVC.
"Fullerton was solid," IVC coach Tom Pestolesi said. "They served really tough and we didn't have an answer."
The Hornets improved their record to 8-4 overall and 4-1 in conference, while Irvine Valley, which was ranked No. 16 in the state, saw its record slip to 6-4 overall and 3-1 in conference.
Fullerton, ranked No. 23 in the state, got 18 kills from Azucena Duarte, 15 kills from Alex Winfield, 21 digs from Mikki Sale and five aces from Carly Bergen in the win.
Irvine Valley was paced by 14 kills by freshman opposite Olivia Aguilar, 13 kills and 15 digs by sophomore outside hitter Kayla Scheevel, 12 kills and four blocks by freshman middle blocker Hailey Riden and 15 digs by sophomore libero Emily Reinking.
The opening set was tied, 19-19, before Fullerton scored three points in a row to go up, 22-19.
Irvine Valley pulled within 22-21, but the Hornets scored the final two points, including getting an ace by Mariah Gonzalez to end the set.
IVC bounced back in the second set. The Lasers went on a 7-1 run midway through to take a 18-11 lead.
The Lasers pushed their advantage to 21-16 on a kill by Riden. And IVC was up, 24-17, on back-to-back kills by Riden. Three points later, Irvine Valley won the set on a Fullerton hitting error.
Fullerton used four points in a row to go ahead, 18-13, in the third set. The Hornets later led, 24-19 on kills by Grace Lopez and Gonzalez.
But Irvine Valley ran off four straight points to make things interesting. A kill by sophomore outside hitter Hannah Matt and then a hitting error by Fullerton got IVC within 24-23.
Irvine Valley couldn't get any closer, however. A serving error by the Lasers gave Fullerton the set and a 2-1 set advantage.
Irvine Valley led, 15-14, in the fourth set after a combo block by freshman middle blocker Kayla Shields and sophomore setter Jenna Olbright for a point. But Fullerton reeled off three points in a row after that to take the lead for good. A kill by Bergen, an ace by Bergen and then an IVC hitting error put the Hornets ahead, 17-15.
Irvine Valley stayed alive with a kill by Aguilar to make it 22-20 and a kill by Shields to make it 23-21.
But Fullerton closed out the set and the match by winning two of the final three points. A kill by Winfield ended it.
Irvine Valley will try to rebound on Friday when it hosts its annual Dig Pink Night match in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. The Lasers play Saddleback at 6 p.m.
