Irvine Valley's women's volleyball team had its chances throughout, including holding leads late in both the second and third sets, but the Lasers couldn't find a way to finish against Saddleback in an Orange Empire Conference match Friday night at home.
After dropping the first set, Saddleback stormed back for an 18-25, 28-26, 27-25, 25-19 victory over IVC.
It was Saddleback's first win over the Lasers since 1998. The Gauchos beat IVC both times they played Irvine Valley that season, which was long-time Laser coach Tom Pestolesi's first guiding the women's program.
Irvine Valley cruised in the first set on Friday night. Sophomore middle blocker Hailey Riden gave Irvine Valley a 20-13 lead with a kill. IVC was up, 23-17 on a kill by freshman middle blocker Kylie Miller. And two points later, Miller closed the set out with an ace.
Irvine Valley looked like it might take a 2-0 lead in sets when it went on a 13-2 run in the second set to go ahead, 23-15. Included in run was a 9-0 streak that was capped by a kill by freshman outside hitter Hannah Holder.
But the Lasers couldn't hang on.
Saddleback went on an 8-0 run of its own. An ace by Morgan Hocker tied the score, 23-23.
Irvine Valley had set point at 24-23 after Hocker served out. But a kill by Mandy Sides for the Gauchos tied it again, 24-24.
IVC also had another set point at 26-25 after a block for a point by sophomore setter Alissa Blevins and Riden.
But Saddleback answered again with a kill by Kelli Dowell to make it 26-26.
The Gauchos took the next two points to capture the set, 28-26.
Saddleback raced out to a 9-3 lead in the third set, but IVC caught the Gauchos at 18-18 after a Gaucho hitting error.
The set was tied at 19 and 20 before Saddleback scored three straight points. The Gauchos went ahead, 23-20, on an IVC hitting error.
Irvine Valley tied it at 23-23 on an ace by sophomore libero Lucee Fitzgerald and a kill by Holder. And the Lasers gained another set point at 24-23 after a kill by Holder.
But Avie Butsko came up with a block for a point for Saddleback to knot the score at 24-24.
IVC went up, 25-24, on a Saddleback service error.
But Saddleback won the next three points in a row (all on Irvine Valley hitting errors) to claim the set and go up, 2-1, in sets.
Irvine Valley led, 13-10, and, 14-12, in the fourth set. But down 14-12, Saddleback went on a 5-0 run to take the lead for good.
A block by Butsko tied it at 14-14 and later, a kill by Sides gave the Gauchos a 17-14 advantage.
Irvine Valley pulled within 20-19 on a block by Miller and freshman outside hitter Taira Ka'awaloa, but the Lasers didn't score another point after that.
Saddleback scored the final five points of the set. Two straight aces by Dowell gave The Gauchos match point at 24-19.
A kill by Sides on the next point ended the set and the match.
Sides paced Saddleback with 22 kills. Dowell added 11 kills and three aces. Hocker finished with 26 digs and Mariah Miller had 44 assists for the Gauchos.
IVC hit just .183 for the night. Ka'awaloa had 13 kills and 12 digs for IVC. Sophomore opposite Juju Cannon finished with 11 digs and Miller had six kills and eight blocks. Blevins ended with 38 assists and 19 digs.
Saddleback improved its record to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in conference. Irvine Valley's record fell to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in conference. It was the Lasers' third straight loss.
Irvine Valley will try to get back on track next Wednesday when it plays at Golden West at 6 p.m.
