Irvine Valley's men's volleyball team was ranked No. 4 in the state in this week's California Community College Men's Volleyball Coaches Association Poll.
The Lasers lost two tough matches to top-ranked teams last week.
Irvine Valley lost in five sets on the road at No. 1 Orange Coast on Wednesday and then in five sets (15-12 in the fifth) to former No. 3 and now No. 2 Golden West at home Friday.
Sophomore outside hitter Damon Kooiman had nine kills and freshman setter and opposite Grant Dvorak finished with 25 assists in the match against OCC and sophomore outside hitter Matt Reid and Dvorak each contributed 11 kills in Irvine Valley's defeat to Golden West.
Dvorak ranks second in the state in hitting percentage at .363.
With the regular season winding down, Orange Coast remained at head of the list in the California Community College Men's Volleyball Coaches Association Poll. OCC received every first-place vote this week after running its record to 14-0 overall and 5-0 in the Orange Empire Conference.
But the Pirates had to work hard last Wednesday at home to beat No. 4 Irvine Valley, 25-23, 21-25, 23-25, 25-15, 15-7.
It was only the second time this season that OCC has been taken to five sets. T
he Pirates have still only dropped six sets on the year. In the win over IVC, Kam Vakilian finished with 13 kills, Cole Hauser had 11 kills and Jacob Surette ended with nine kills and hit .438.
Jacob Bayston chipped in with 15 digs.
The Pirates then swept Fullerton on Friday night on the road.
Hauser leads the state in hitting percentage at .378.
Golden West went back to No. 2 in the poll after also taking down Irvine Valley in five sets at IVC. The Rustlers rallied from two sets down and came out on top, 24-26, 23-25, 25-19, 25-17, 15-12 to move its record to 13-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
It was Golden West's third win in its last four matches. Curtis Harper leads the state in kills per set at 4.20.
San Diego Mesa went to No. 3 in the poll after falling in its last match on Mar. 26 to Miramar in five sets. Miramar won, 15-10, in the fifth set. Mesa (16-4, 4-1) leads the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference standings by a half match over Miramar (9-6, 4-2).
At No. 5 this week once again in Long Beach City. The Vikings lost to Moorpark in four sets last Wednesday on the road to end an eight-match losing streak. Shane Nhem, one of the top hitters in the state, finished with 19 kills and hit .385 in the defeat.
Long Beach City bounced back on Friday with a four-set victory over Santa Monica at home in a battle for first place in the Western State Conference. Long Beach (9-6, 8-1) leads No. 6 Santa Monica (11-6, 7-2) by one match in the standings.
Santa Monica and Moorpark are tied for sixth in the poll.
Santa Monica had its six-match win streak halted with the four-set defeat to Long Beach on Friday. The Corsairs did earn an important and tight four-set (25-21, 22-25, 25-18, 25-23) over No. 9 Santa Barbara City at home last Wednesday. Jason Walmer leads the state in assists per set at 9.05 for Santa Monica.
Moorpark's lone match last week was the four-set (17-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-21) win over Long Beach on Wednesday.
The rest of the top 10 includes Miramar at No. 8, Santa Barbara City at nine and Grossmont is at 10th. Santa Barbara's Cole Richards ranks second in the state in kills per set (4.03) and Noah Lim of Miramar is third (3.68) and John Manabat leads the state in digs per set at 3.57.
Key matches this week include No. 10 Grossmont at No. 8 Miramar on Wednesday and No. 3 San Diego Mesa at Grossmont on Friday.
1. Orange Coast (14-0)
2. Golden West (13-3)
3. San Diego Mesa (16-4)
4. Irvine Valley (9-6)
5. Long Beach City (9-6)
T6. Moorpark (9-5)
T6. Santa Monica (11-6)
8. Miramar (9-6)
9. Santa Barbara City (6-8)
10. Grossmont (8-8)
