The Irvine Valley men’s soccer team secured second place in the Orange Empire Conference with a 3-0 victory over Cypress in the final game of the regular season at IVC on Thursday afternoon.

The Lasers improved their record to 13-4-4 overall and 7-2-4 in conference. Santa Ana had wrapped up the conference title earlier this week.

The win gave Irvine Valley 28 points in conference. Santiago Canyon was next with 24 points heading into its final match of the regular season on Thursday.

Irvine Valley finished the regular season unbeaten in its final eight matches. Over that time, the Lasers have six wins and two ties. IVC outscored its opponents, 22-4, over that span.

The streak actually started with a 2-0 win at Cypress on Oct. 16.

The Lasers dominated the rematch on Thursday at Irvine Valley.

Irvine Valley out-shot Cypress, 16-3, in the contest and had plenty of opportunities to score.

“I was very pleased with the effort today,” IVC Coach Martin McGrogan said. “With a little luck I thought we could have scored a lot more.”

The Lasers opened the scoring in the fifth minute. Sophomore forward Erik Van Der Meulen took possession on the left wing and sent a sent a pass to Ashley Cattermole, who out-raced the defense and beat the keeper to give IVC a 1-0 lead.

Van Der Meulen nearly scored midway though the first half, but his shot from close range was deflected by the Cypress goalie and then cleared off the goal line by a defender.

Van Der Meulen had another attempt on goal 10 minutes later deflected wide of the net by the Cypress keeper.

But Irvine Valley made it a 2-0 lead a few minutes after that. Freshman midfielder Jack Plummer took the ball into the box on the left side and hit a line drive shot that looked to be headed toward the right corner of the goal. Before the ball went in, sophomore forward Corey Cordray knocked it home to earn the goal.

Just before the end of the first half, Plummer hit the side post on a shot from close range.

The Lasers put the game away early in the second half. Cypress couldn’t clear a corner kick play by IVC. Sophomore midfielder Scott Gressard got a hold of the ball and sent a cross into sophomore defender Darren Whitty, who headed it in.

Freshman forward John Faulds, Plummer and Cattermole each had other chances to score in the second half.

IVC freshman goalie Mikhail Radchuk had to make just two saves to earn his ninth shutout of the season and eighth in conference play.

Irvine Valley, which was fifth in the latest Southern California power point rankings, will likely host a first-round Southern California Regional playoff match on Nov. 17. The opponent and time will be determined.

Playoff pairings, which will include 13 teams from Southern California (the top three teams receive byes in the first round) are going to be released next Wednesday.

“On to the playoffs and I think we are ready,” McGrogan said. “We’ve made some very good improvements over the past couple of weeks. The boys are focused and looking good.”