he Irvine Valley women's volleyball team was ready to win an Orange Empire Conference title Friday night at Saddleback.

The Bobcats handed IVC its only defeat of the conference season on Oct. 5 in five sets inside Hart Gym.

The Lasers weren't losing this time around.

Irvine Valley, ranked No. 9 in the state, paid back Saddleback with a sweep.

It was Irvine Valley's seventh sweep in the last eight matches. And most importantly, the Lasers clinched their first conference title since 2019.

The win combined with Cypress beating Orange Coast in five sets on Friday, gave IVC the title outright.

It was also the first women's indoor volleyball conference title for Irvine Valley coach Ryan Windisch, who is in his third season in charge of the program after being a long-time assistant.

Windisch, a former standout men's player for the Lasers, has also coached the men's volleyball program (to a CCCAA State Championship final in 2019) and will take over the women's beach team next spring.

Irvine Valley improved its record to 17-4 overall and 13-1 in conference with the win on Friday.

IVC has now won 41 sets and dropped just seven in conference play.

It was also Irvine Valley's 13th sweep in the 2022-23 season.

The Lasers finish up the regular season at Fullerton next Friday at 6 p.m. and then with a home match against Santiago Canyon (sophomore night) on Nov. 15 at 6 p.m.

Irvine Valley hit .295 on the night Friday and was led by sophomore opposite hitter Jayli Nealy, who had 16 kills and hit .387.

Freshman outside hitter Tessa Marocco added 12 kills and 11 digs, sophomore opposite Chloe Swanson had five kills and eight digs, sophomore libero Gabi Brown contributed 10 digs and freshman setter Mia Bertolone ended with 36 assists and six digs.

Release by Brent Shaver, IVC Sports Information