Irvine Valley advances to inaugural CCCAA State Championship

by Irvine Valley College Sports Information

Irvine Valley's women's sand volleyball team moved on to the inaugural California Community College Athletic Association State Championship team event with a pair of 5-0 victories on Tuesday at home.

Irvine Valley, which won its division in the Orange Empire Conference, swept both Mira Costa and Fullerton in one of four state regionals.

The Lasers will be one of the four teams in the State Championship on Friday, starting at 10 a.m. at Irvine Valley.

"We have a shot and that is all you want," IVC coach Tom Pestolesi said. "We will have a target on our back (having won sand volleyball club titles the last two years and the state title in indoor volleyball last fall) and the kids know that. I think we have a good shot of winning, but we still have to play really well on Friday."

Irvine Valley got straight set victories from all five of its tandems in both matches against Fullerton and Mira Costa.

Irvine Valley played Fullerton first and then Mira Costa in the final match of the day. Mira Costa defeated Fullerton, 5-0, in the middle match.

IVC's No. 1 team of sophomores Kobi Pekich and Marisa Doran defeated Fullerton's top team, 21-12, 21-10, and then topped Mira Costa's No. 1 squad, 21-18, 21-19.

The No. 2 Irvine Valley team of sophomore Annie Mitchem and freshman Emily Reinking came out on top in matches, 21-16, 21-15, and, 21-14, 21-10.

Sophomore Samantha Holdredge and freshman Hailee Earnest, IVC's third team, won, 21-15, 21-10, and, 21-14, 21-11.

"Hailee Earnest is playing really well and her and Sam as a team really scramble," Pestolesi said. "That is a team that has really stepped up."

Holdredge and Earnest made the Orange Empire Conference championship match last week.

Irvine Valley's No. 4 team of freshman Hannah Matt and Kayla Scheevel got a forfeit win against Fullerton and then beat Mira Costa, 21-8, 21-19, and Irvine Valley's fifth team of sophomore Shaelyn Perez and freshman Taylor Askins picked up a forfeit victory against Fullerton and then defeated Mira Costa, 21-11, 21-11.

"I thought Kayla and Hannah were dynamite today," Pestolesi said. "Kayla made some unbelievable defensive plays.

"Overall, everybody did a nice job. We are seeing improvement in the areas we need. I think the kids will continue to respond."