Pirates drop heartbreaker to Lasers

COSTA MESA -- It was a tough way for a nine-match win streak to fall, but the Orange Coast College men's volleyball team will have to attempt a new win streak after losing in five sets to rival Irvine Valley College on Wednesday night.

Adrain Faitalia led the Pirates (9-4, 6-1 in Pacific Coast Conference) with 23 kills, while Nick Amado added 19, Kamaha'o Paio added nine and Brandon Dau knocked in eight. Faitalia also led the team with eight digs, while Paio and Steven Duhoux contributed seven each. Duhoux dished out 58 assists for the Pirates as well.

For the Lasers (9-3, 7-1), Arek Halaj led a balenced attack with 16 kills, while Cole Murray added 13 and Peter Van Liefde chipped in 12. Middle blocker Kevin Dell led the way with four blocks, while Billy Crow came up with a match-best 15 digs.

It was a heavyweight slug-fest right from the opening whistle as the top two teams from the PCC went back and forth for over two hours. In the opening set, Coast jumped out to a 12-6 led and fought off a late IVC rally to prevail, 27-25. Irvine Valley fought off three consecutive set points, but an Amado block -- one of five he had on the night -- proved to be the set-winner.

Coast led 13-11 in the second set only to see the Lasers go on an 11-4 run to take the lead for good and even the match at a set apiece.

Another early OCC went by the boards as IVC used a 6-0 run to lead 19-13. Coast fought back and evened the set at 21, only to see kills by Murray and Van Liefde spark a 4-1 run to give IVC a 2-1 lead in the match.

Leading 21-18 in the fourth set, the Lasers were just four points again from putting the Pirates away, but a pair of kills by Faitalia, a pair of blocks and a kill by Patrick Henry pushed Coast ahead, 23-21. IVC used a kill and a block by Josh Schmidt to even things at 23 and from there, it was a back-and-forth struggle for both teams to close things out. OCC had seven set-point opportunities that were erased by the Lasers and IVC saw two match-point chances get wiped away by the Pirates.

Finally, with the set tied at 31, a Faitalia put-away pushed Coast in front 32-31 and on the following play, an IVC kill attempt rang off the antenna, giving the Pirates a 33-31 win and evened the match at two sets apiece.

IVC took control of the fifth set and held a 12-9 lead in the best-to-15 final set. But Coast took advantage of an IVC net serve, a wide kill return and a back-row violation to even the fifth set at 12.

Both teams traded points and when Faitalia knocked down his 23rd kill of the night, the set was tied at 14. But, IVC finally put the match away with back-to-back kills by Murray and Schmidt to give the guests the hard-fought win.

For those who missed tonight's epic showdown, fear not -- the Pirates and Lasers will play again on Friday, April 10 at IVC, beginning at 6 p.m.

But for now, Coast will kick off the second round of PCC play at home on Friday against San Diego Mesa, beginning at 6 p.m.