The No. 3 in the state Irvine Valley men's volleyball team had its work cut out on Wednesday night at home.
The Lasers were on a two-match win streak, but up against a dangerous Santiago Canyon squad.
The No. 9 Hawks gave IVC everything they had before the Lasers took over late in each set.
Irvine Valley came away with a 25-22, 25-22, 25-20 win to improve its record to 12-2 overall and 3-1 in conference.
Santiago Canyon fell to 9-6 overall and 2-2 in conference. Orange Coast, which IVC travels to on Friday, leads the OEC with a perfect 4-0 mark.
It wasn't easy for Irvine Valley on Wednesday, but the Lasers played their best when it mattered most.
The first two sets were back and forth. Santiago Canyon pulled within 22-21 in the firs set after a kill by Jaden Evangelista, but the Lasers ran off three of the next four points to take the set.
Freshman outside hitter Damon Kooiman had a kill to get IVC to set point and then two points later a kill by sophomore IVC opposite hitter Demetre Gossett gave IVC a 1-0 lead.
The second set was more of the same. Santiago Canyon jumped out to a 9-6 advantage on a hitting error by the Lasers.
And the Hawks went up, 15-11, on an overpass kill by Benjamin Blanco.
But the Lasers tied it at 16. And the score remained tied through 22 all.
A serve in the net by the Hawks gave Irvine Valley a point lead and then a kill by Gossett put IVC ahead, 24-22.
Irvine Valley won the set on the next point with a hitting error by the Hawks.
IVC pulled away midway through the third and final set. The frame was tied at 15 when the Lasers went on a seven-point run. A kill by freshman setter Kaina Alvarez made it a 21-15 score and then another kill by Gossett gave the Lasers a 22-15 cushion.
Gossett's kill gave IVC a match point at 24-18 and three points later freshman middle blocker Chris Rivera ended the night with a kill off a quick set from Alvarez.
Irvine Valley hit .444 overall as a team. Gossett finished with 15 kills, freshman outside hitter Zach McEntire ended with nine kills, sophomore Leonardo Mazuco added six kills and hit .750, Kooiman contributed five kills and Rivera chipped in four kills and hit .600.
Alvarez had 34 assists and Schulte finished with 13 digs for the Lasers in the win.
