The Irvine Valley College women's golf team won its first ever Orange Empire Conference title in 2004. The Lasers are aiming for another championship this season.

Coach Ben Burnett believes his team has a good shot.

"We haven't played a match yet, but right now I would say that we would challenge for the conference title with Saddleback and Santiago Canyon," said Burnett, who was named the conference's co-coach of the year last season. "Golden West might be there too."

Burnett and the Lasers will get a better idea where they stand next week when Irvine Valley starts the season in the Orange Empire Conference Tee Off Classic on Monday. The event takes place at El Prado in Chino and starts at 7:30 a.m.

The Lasers will then meet most of the top teams in Southern California when they participate in the Desert Classic Invitational in Palm Springs next Friday and Saturday.

Last year Irvine Valley won its first ever conference title by finishing 20 strokes ahead of the competition at Los Serranos in Chino Hills.

Irvine Valley returns one player from that team, sophomore Debbie Firman. Firman was consistently the team's fourth of five scorers a season ago. She is expected to shoot in the high 80's to low 90's.

The Lasers' top player from last season - Kristin Medlin, who was named the conference's co-player of the year, is taking this season off from golf, but hopes to return to school in 2006, according to Burnett.

Sophomores from last season Patty Doherty and Allison Trent have moved on to play at four-year schools. Doherty is competing at Cal State San Marcos and Trent is playing for the new program being started at Concordia University in Irvine.

Burnett said he had a solid group of newcomers to pick up the slack.

Freshmen Ailam Troung, Hiroko Hibara and Carla Chavez, along with sophomore Erin Dunne are new members of the team.

Troung has joined Firman as a co-captain.

"She has a good chance to shoot in the 80's and make all-conference this year," Burnett said of Troung.

Burnett believes that Hibara, who he discovered in his summer golf class, can also shoot in the 80's.

"She looks solid," Burnett said.

Chavez is out of El Toro High.

"She was one of the top two players there the last couple of years," Burnett said. "She should shoot in the high 80's to low 90's."

Dunne played for the Irvine Valley women's tennis team last spring and has potential as a golfer, Burnett said.

"She is improving her game all the time," Burnett said. "She could shoot in the 90's."

Around to help Dunne and other players improve their game this season will be a former Irvine Valley standout.

Nora Garibotti, who won a conference individual title and made two straight trips to the state tournament in her two years at Irvine Valley, will be a graduate assistant.

"I am looking forward to having Nora work with the players," Burnett said. "She has a lot of experience and knowledge."