Top-ranked Irvine Valley starts playoffs with a sweep of Orange Coast

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IRVINE, Calif. - Irvine Valley's women's volleyball team opened the California Community College Athletic Association Southern California Regional Playoffs with its 19th sweep of the year.

The Lasers, seeded first and ranked No. 1 in the state, did so against a familiar opponent.

After beating Orange Coast in four sets last Wednesday at OCC in their final match of the regular season, the Lasers took down the 16th-seeded Pirates again, winning, 25-10, 25-18, 25-21, on Tuesday night at home.

Irvine Valley will host No. 8 Grossmont on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the next round with a trip to the state tournament on the line.

Irvine Valley got 13 kills, 10 digs, four blocks from sophomore outside hitter Olivia Aguilar, 10 kills, seven digs and two aces from sophomore outside hitter Taira Ka'awaloa and nine kills from freshman outside hitter Alyssa Vortouni in the victory.

Sophomore opposite Diamond Brogan chipped in seven kills and five blocks, sophomore libero Gabi Lau had 11 digs and sophomore setter Megan Ramseyer finished with three kills, 10 digs, two blocks, two aces and 34 assists for the Lasers, who earned their third win over Orange Coast on the year.

Orange Coast was paced by Devyn Holland and Aubrey St. Laurent, who had five kills apiece.

OCC jumped out to leads in each of the first two sets. The Pirates led, 6-2, in the opening set after a kill by Alibelle Pilimai.

But it was all Irvine Valley after that in the set. IVC scored  six points in a row, getting back-to-back kills by Ka'awaloa to go up, 8-6.

Tied, 8-8, Irvine Valley scored 17 of the next 19 points to end the set. Part of that stretch was a 9-0 run that made Irvine Valley's lead, 22-9.

Two straight kills by Aguilar and OCC not getting the ball over on three ended the set.

The Pirates went up, 9-3, in the second set after a block by St. Laurent. It forced an Irvine Valley timeout.

IVC slowly chipped away and tied the set at 15-15 on an Orange Coast serving error.

The Lasers then went on another run to end the set. They scored 10 of the final 13 points and finished the set with a Vortouni kill.

It was Irvine Valley's turn to jump out to a big lead to begin the third set. Irvine Valley led, 9-1, but Orange Coast fought all the way back and tied the set at 20-20 on a kill by St. Laurent.

Irvine Valley had two much, however. The Lasers got a tip winner by Ramseyer, an OCC hitting error, a block by Ramseyer and a kill by Aguilar to go up, 24-20, and regain control.

The Lasers completed the sweep two points later.

The win improved Irvine Valley's record to 23-0 overall. Orange Coast finished the year with a record of 17-9.

(Courtesy Irvine Valley College Athletics)