Women's volleyball team takes out Palomar in four
Sep 12, 2009
The Irvine Valley women's volleyball team shrugged off a tough first game to win the next three and earn a 23-25, 27-25, 25-21, 25-16 nonconference victory over Palomar Friday night at home.
It was Irvine Valley's first home match of the season and improved their record to 2-0 overall. Palomar, which is the defending Pacific Coast Conference champion, saw its record slip to 1-2.
Irvine Valley had its chances in the first game, but let them slip away at the end of the frame. The Lasers pulled to within 22-21, but then dropped three of the next four points and found themselves in a hole.
But the Lasers answered in game two. They never trailed in the game, although it was close throughout.
IVC led by as many as five points - at 16-11 after a kill by Hillary Crone and at 18-13 after a kill by Ellie Wiekamp.
But Palomar tied the game shortly after at 20-20. IVC ran off three points in a row and took a 23-20 lead on a block by Wiekamp. But Palomar made it a 23-23 game after a kill by Shelley Morton.
IVC had game points had two game points before finally putting the game away. Wiekamp's kill made it 26-25 and then Palomar couldn't get the ball over on three tries to end it.
The third game was tight until the Lasers went on a 6-0 run. A block by Caitlin Segert put IVC ahead, 17-10.
Palomar battled back and pulled to within 22-20, but IVC finished the game strong, winning three of the final four points. Rachel Busby-Coleman ended the game with a kill for the Lasers.
The Lasers were in total control in the fourth and final game, racing out to a 9-1 lead. Segert, Wiekamp, Crone and Busby-Coleman all had kills during the run.
The closest Palomar got in the game was at 17-15 after an ace by Morton. But the Lasers responded by winning the final eight points of the match. A block by Sasha Kornilova and then a kill by Kornilova and an ace by Nichole May ended things.
IVC was led by Katie Wilkerson, who finished with 14 kills. Wiekamp and Crone added 12 kills each and Sergert had nine kills. May ended with 12 digs and Wilkerson had seven digs.
Segert also had six blocks and all-conference setter Allie Hammer added 41 assists.