IRVINE - The two-time reigning state champion tops the first California Community College Men’s Volleyball Coaches Association State Poll of the 2024 season.

 

Orange Coast, which defeated Long Beach in five tough sets for the title last year, is off to a 5-0 start to this year. It has swept El Camino, Long Beach City and San Diego Mesa, defeated Long Beach in five and last Friday beat Santa Monica, 23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-17.

 

Cole Hauser ended with 15 kills, Kam Vakilian had 12 kills and five blocks and Myles Henderson finished with 10 kills and 10 digs. Landon Seymour ran the OCC offense with 33 assists and chipped in nine digs.

 

The battle for second and third in the poll was tight with San Diego Mesa edging out Golden West. The Olympians are off to an 8-1 record with that only defeat coming to Orange Coast.

 

San Diego Mesa has recorded five sweeps on the year. It defeated both Santa Barbara City and El Camino in straight sets last Friday at an event at Miramar. Nine different players recorded at least a kill in the victory over El Camino and TJ Letuligasenoa (nine kills) and Patrick Buckel (eight kills) led the way in Mesa’s 25-17, 25-19, 25-20 win over Santa Barbara.

 

Golden West has a record of 6-1. Its only defeat came at the hands of No. 7 Santa Monica (30-28, 25-23, 25-23). The Rustlers are currently riding a four-match win streak and have won 12 sets in a row. Golden West swept Grossmont, 25-19, 25-23, 27-25 last Thursday at home. Curtis Harper paced the squad with 16 kills and 10 digs. He also hit .483 on the night. Ezra Vlad finished with seven kills (.500 hitting percentage) and four blocks and Jaden Kodongan (21 assists) and Jay Pearson (19 assists) shared the setting duties.

 

Moorpark with a record of 4-2 is fourth in the poll. The Raiders split matches in the San Diego Mesa Quad on Feb. 9 in its last action, losing to Mesa in three and then holding off Grossmont in five sets (15-9 in the fifth). Taylor Phipps had a big match with 22 kills, 17 digs and three blocks and Jacob Knudson added 21 kills. Merit Ghodrat ran the Moorpark offense with 54 assists and Braden Gonzales chipped in 18 digs.

 

Irvine Valley sits in fifth in the poll. It has been an up and down start for IVC. The Lasers (3-2 overall) won its first two matches, dropped two in a row and then defeated Santa Monica in four sets in its last match on Feb. 14. Matt Reid led the way, ending with 14 kills and hitting .458. Zach McEntire and Damon Kooiman each added 10 kills and setter Grant Dvorak chipped in seven kills, 24 assists and eight digs.

 

Sixth in the poll is Santa Barbara City. The Vaqueros are 2-2 so far with wins over Irvine Valley and Fullerton. In the sweep over IVC on Feb. 9, Cole Richards recorded 13 kills without an error and hit .765. Santa Barbara City fell to San Diego Mesa, 25-17, 25-19, 25-20, at Miramar last Friday.

 

Tied for seventh are Santa Monica and Grossmont. Santa Monica has wins over No. 3 Golden West and No. 9 Miramar and Grossmont is off to a 4-2 start with two victories over Santiago Canyon and single triumphs over LA Pierce and Santa Monica.

 

Grossmont defeated Santa Monica, 25-21, 25-20, 21-25, 22-25, 15-3 on Feb. 9 at Mesa.

 

Rounding out the poll are Miramar in the ninth spot and Long Beach City at No. 10.

 

Key matches this week include No. 2 San Diego Mesa at No. 1 Orange Coast on Wednesday and No. 5 Irvine Valley at No. 9 Miramar and No. 3 Golden West at No. 7 Grossmont on Friday.