The Irvine Valley women's volleyball team is back on track.
The Lasers won their third match in a row and swept another team Wednesday night, defeating Riverside, 25-15, 25-17, 25-9, in an Orange Empire Conference contest.
IVC, ranked No. 9 in the state this week, improved its record to 12-4 overall and 8-1 in conference.
The Lasers, who now have nine sweeps on the season, play at second-place Orange Coast on Friday at 6 p.m. in one of the biggest matches of the season so far.
Irvine Valley had its best offensive night of the season on Wednesday, hitting a remarkable .512 as a team (53-10-84).
Freshman outside hitter Tessa Marocco led the squad in kills with 19 and hit .394 on the night. She added 10 digs.
Sophomore opposite Jayli Nealy, an all-state player last year, hit an incredible .765 with 14 kills and just one error in 17 attempts.
Freshman middle blocker Avery Bennett and sophomore middle blocker Kendall Fraser each had four kills. Fraser hit .667 and added four blocks.
Sophomore setter Maddie Harkey ran the offensive attack and ended with 39 assists for the Lasers. She chipped in three aces.
Sophomore libero Gabi Brown contributed 11 digs and two aces for IVC.
The Lasers hit .650 in the first set, .395 in the second set and .577 in the third set as a team in the win.
Irvine Valley rushed out to a 20-13 lead in the first set on an ace by freshman setter Mia Bertolone.
And they ended the first set at 25-15 on a kill by Marocco.
Set two was more of a battle with Riverside holding an early 6-3 advantage. IVC scored the next three points and tied the set at 6 on a kill by Nearly.
Riverside led, 10-9, before IVC took control six of the next seven points. Back-to-back killy by Nearly gaveIrvine Valley a 15-11 lead.
The Tigers pulled within two points at 17-15 and 18-16, but Irvine Valley seven of the final 10 points of the set. A kill by Nealy got Irvine Valley to set point and then freshman middle blocker Avery Bennett ended the set with a kill.
It was all Lasers in the third and final set. The game was tied early at 6, but Irvine Valley went on a big run, scoring 11 of the next 12 points.
Marocco gave Irvine Valley a 17-7 lead with a kill. Marocco put Irvine Valley up, 18-8, with another kill and, 23-8, with one more kill.
Sophomore opposite Emily Hon gave IVC the win with a kill to close out the one hour and five-minute match.
