The Irvine Valley women's volleyball team opens its 2021 season on Friday at College of the Canyons at 6 p.m.
The match will be streamed by Canyons at https://youtu.be/8sJ319PK4Zc
The Lasers missed the 2020 season due to COVID retrictions.
But the IVC is ready to challenge the top teams in the state again.
Irvine Valley finished the 2019 with a record of 27-1 overall. The Lasers fell in the California Community College Athletic Association state final in five, tough sets to Feather River.
A lot has changed with the Lasers since then. Long-time, hall of famer and legendary head coach Tom Pestolesi retired at Irvine Valley and from coaching the women's indoor volleyball team at Irvine Valley. He spent 21 years coaching indoor at the college, but will continue as the head coach of the Laser women's beach program.
But in stepped in current men's volleyball coach and former women's indoor and beach assistant coach Ryan Windisch.
"Having a Laser alum return to IVC on Pesto's staff a few years ago allowed him to study and grow as a coach," Irvine Valley Dean and Athletic Director Keith Shackleford said last year after the announcement of Windisch taking of the program. "Pesto gave him significant latitude as part of the country's best holistic volleyball programs - with men's, women's and beach - and Ryan is incredibly well-prepared to lead our student-athletes into a new era."
Windisch, who has been the head coach of the Irvine Valley men's team the last two seasons and an assistant coach with the women's team since 2017, is ready for the challenge.
"I can't wait for the opportunity for our team to compete again," he said. "A lot of them haven't been able to compete in over a year. The college girls get to play in a real match."
He knows Canyons will be a tough challenge, as usual, for the Lasers.
"(Canyons coach) Clay Timmons does a great job with them every year," Windisch said. "Canyons and Irvine Valley have had so many battles."
Irvine Valley swept Canyons in 2019 at home, but the two teams had a classic match in the CCCAA semifinal in 2017. Irvine Valley won in five sets, taking the fifth set, 16-14, on its way to a state title.
Windisch has a starting lineup in mind with freshman Maddie Harkey starting at setter, sophomore Alexandra Pestolis at libero, freshmen Tasha Mae and Jaclyn Sanchez on the outside, freshman Jayli Nealy at opposite and freshmen Kaitlyn Karsten and Kendall Fraser in the middle with freshmen Emily Guenter and Katlyn Valcourt also providing key roles.
"We look forward to meshing and creating that team chemistry," Windisch said. "The team is having a lot of fun and actual competition is only going to bring them closer, creating that team and hopefully peaking as we get into the Orange Empire Conference."
Irvine Valley will play again in its first home match on Friday, Sept. 3 against San Diego Miramar at 6 p.m. No fans will be allowed as of now at Irvine Valley, but the match will be streamed on facebook at (20+) Irvine Valley College Athletics | Facebook
