The Irvine Valley women's volleyball team and coach Ryan Windisch are looking forward to having another successful season in 2022.
And that season officially starts on Friday with a home match at 5 p.m. against a tough College of the Canyons squad.
"It is going to be a fun year," Windisch said. "I am excited about our team. We have a lot of players that are going to contribute. There is a lot of depth on this team."
The Lasers knocked off Canyons in the season opener of 2021 in four sets at home, but the Cougars ended up battling their way to the California Community College Athletic Association State Tournament at the end of the year.
Canyons reached the CCCAA State Tournament by beating Ventura in five sets on the road in the second round of the So. Cal. Regionals.
The Cougars return three all-Western State Conference players.
Abby Sherman was named first team all-conference after ending with 541 assists to go along with a conference-leading 68 aces.
Rhiannon Boddy was named second team all-conference after having 177 digs and 27 aces and Jacqueline Ibarra was selected honorable mention after recording 165 kills and 15 blocks.
Irvine Valley had a record of 16-6 overall last year and reached the So. Cal. Regionals, but fell to Ventura in three sets at home in the opening round.
The Lasers finished second in the Orange Empire Conference with a record of 12-4.
IVC returns six players from the 2021 squad, including outside hitter Jayli Nealy, who was named all-state and first team all-conference.
She led the conference in kills per set at 3.64 and overall kills with 284 and was also fourth in hitting percentage at .298.
Maddie Harkey, who was named first team all-OEC, ranked second in assists per set at 9.68.
Other returners include libero Elise Le, outside hitter Angelina Griego, middle blocker Kendall Fraser and setter Alessandra Nitoglia.
The Lasers also get three players on to the indoor team from the 2022 spring CCCAA beach volleyball championship squad in libero and outside hitter Gabi Brown, opposite Chloe Swanson and libero Hannah Ledesma.
Brown and Swanson were starters for the beach-winning squad.
Freshman opposite Emily Hon, freshman outside hitter Tessa Marocco and freshman setter Mia Bertolone should also be big contributors for the Lasers.
"We have a team where it could be a different leader on any given night," Windisch said. "We can't wait to get started."
Irvine Valley has a tough, early-season schedule. The Lasers play at Santa Barbara City next Wednesday at 6 p.m., travel to Moorpark next Friday at 6 p.m, play Southwestern at home on Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. and then compete in the San Diego Mesa quad event on Sept. 9.
In all, six out of the seven pre-conference matches for the Lasers feature teams that made the playoffs last season.
Admission is free at Irvine Valley home matches, but the South Orange County Community College District requires masks to be worn indoors.
The full Irvine Valley 2022 season schedule can be seen here
