Lasers take care of Pirates

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College women's volleyball team took on the state's No. 2 ranked team -- Irvine Valley College -- and it was the visiting Lasers who came out on top, winning 25-18, 25-20, 25-22 over the Pirates on Wednesday night inside the Peterson Gym.

Megan Rawlings led the Pirates (11-6, 6-6 in Orange Empire Conference) with eight kills, Sierra Brown added seven and Kourtney Chadderdon chipped in six. Libero Carina Perez came up with 10 digs and Megan Ritchie dished 26 assists for Coast.

For the Lasers (18-0, 12-0), 6-foot-2 middle blocker Annie Mitchem led the way with 14 kills. eight digs and five blocks while setter Hailey Jones dished out 40 assists.

The Lasers came at the Pirates hard and fast in the opening set, jumping out to an 11-3 lead. Service winners by Jones and Amanda Trimble and blocks by Mitchem and Marisa Doran helped set the tone for the evening.

The lead grew to as many as 10 (20-10) before the Pirates used some strong serves by Ritchie and two kills each from Brown and Rawlings to rip off six straight points and cut the deficit to 20-16.

Both teams traded a pair of points to make it 22-18 before the Lasers used a Mitchem kill a wide OCC return and a quick kill by Jones to take the opening set.

Another strong start by the Lasers put the guests ahead 14-6. It was 16-9 before OCC used a 4-0 run to get back to within three at 16-13. 

From there, the second set became a battle of mini-runs. Three in a row by IVC made it 19-13 before OCC countered with three in a row to make it 19-16. The Lasers answered that with a 4-0 run to make it 23-16 before OCC countered back with three in a row to make it 23-19. 

Finally two kills by Mitchem ended the set and put IVC ahead by two sets with a 25-20 win.

In the third set, Irvine Valley led 14-9 before Coast used some hitting by Brown and a few unforced errors by the Lasers to crawl back into the match. Trailing 20-18, kills by Chadderdon and Brown helped tie things up at 20, but the Lasers would not be denied.

A kill by Kobi Pekich and a double-hit by OCC put the Lasers back out in front, 22-20 and they would not be matched the rest of the night as two kills by Mitchem down the stretch helped seal the deal.

OCC will return to action on Friday at Santa Ana College, beginning at 7 p.m. The Pirates will wrap up the regular season at home on Wednesday night against Cypress, also at 7 p.m.