Pirates stay unbeaten after four-set win over Corsairs

COSTA MESA -- Make that EIGHT wins in a row to start the season for the Orange Coast College women's volleyball team as the Pirates toppled visiting Santa Monica City College in four sets on Friday night inside the Peterson Gym.

In a matchup between two teams ranked in the state's top-10, the No. 6-ranked Pirates overcame a second-set stumble and cruised to a 25-21, 17-25, 25-23, 25-17 nonconference win over the seventh-ranked Corsairs (9-3).

Kayla Ihrig led Coast with 21 kills and seven digs, while Nika Safavi added 13 kills and 10 digs. Sophie Vienna paced the offense with 44 assists, while Kennedy Cutler anchored the Pirate defense with 12 digs.

SMCC standout hitter, Nicole Lankton led the Corsairs with 19 kills and four total blocks.

Lankton and the Corsairs jumped out to a 16-11 advantage in the opening set, thanks to a 6-1 run that saw the 6-2 middle blocker rip a pair of kills during that span.

But the Pirates quickly responded with an 11-2 run of their own, sparked by four kills by Ihrig and just like that, Coast carried a 24-19 lead. After a pair of SMCC blocks, Safavi ripped home the winner, giving Coast a 25-21 win.

Lankton scored early and often for the Corsairs in the second set as four early kills and a pair of aces from Mia Whitlock pushed the Corsairs into a 13-4 lead and from there, the guests took care of business and evened the match at a set apiece.

The third set saw both teams go back and before before a pivotal 5-0 run by the Pirates pushed them into a 22-17 lead. Leading 24-18, Coast survived a major scare when Santa Monica scored the next five straight points, forcing a pair of OCC timeouts. But, finally, a kill by Joey Payan ended the threat and Coast grabbed a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Corsairs were their own worst enemy in the fourth set as errant hits and serves helped propel the Pirates into a 16-7 advantage. SMCC used a 9-3 run to get to within three at 19-16, but OCC finished the match off with a 6-1 run, including two blocks and a kill by middle blocker, Aliyah Spencer.

The Pirates will go for nine in a row as they host Fullerton College on Wednesday night in the Orange Empire Conference opener, beginning at 6 p.m.