Irvine Valley's Mitchem and Pestolesi highlight all-OEC volleyball honors

Irvine Valley sophomore Annie Mitchem and Laser coach Tom Pestolesi earned top honors for the second straight year when Orange Empire Conference women's volleyball all-conference teams were announced last week.

Mitchem, a 6-2 middle blocker that is headed to the University of Hawaii, was named the conference player of the year once again after having another dominant season.

Mitchem averaged 3.86 kills per set in conference to go along with 2.30 digs and 1.32 blocks per set. She also hit an impressive .461 in conference action.

She led the conference and the state in hitting percentage and was among the state leaders in kills and blocks.

Mitchem paced IVC to its second straight 10-0 conference record and title. Heading into this year's playoffs, the Lasers, who have been ranked No. 2 in the state all season, had a record of 21-0.

"She was so good last year," Pestolesi said of Mitchem, who was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association 2-year National Player of the Year in 2013. "But honestly, she has been at even another level this year. Her work ethic has been better so her fitness is better.

"What I like the most is that she has been just so engaged in everything - personally, with her teammates and with her academics. It has been great to see how she has grown as a person and it has made her an even better volleyball player. Our entire coaching staff has been so very proud of her this year."

Pestolesi was named the conference coach of the year for the second year in a row after guiding IVC to the fifth conference title in program history this season.

"It all comes down to talent and we have a lot of it," said Pestolesi. "This award is because of that. Still, I want to thank our great coaching staff who works so very hard and makes the success possible."

Irvine Valley three other players named first team all-conference. They were sophomore outside hitters Marisa Doran and Kobi Pekich and sophomore setter Hailey Jones. It was the second straight first-team honor for both Doran and Jones. Jones paced the conference in assists at 11.55 per set and also led the state in assists for most of this season.

Doran averaged 3.31 kills and 2.92 kills per set and Pekich averaged 2.36 kills and 2.69 digs per set in conference.

Cypress and Golden West, which finished in a tie for second place in conference, each had three first team all-conference players.

Cypress was led by freshman outside hitter Lindsey Ray. Ray led the conference in kills per set this season. She averaged 4.62 kills and 4.00 digs per set in conference and hit .302.

Sophomore middle blocker Makayla Tayler (3.33 kills and 4.17 digs per set in conference) and sophomore setter Nae Bender (11.14 assists per set in conference) also made the first team.

Golden West's first team players were sophomore libero Kelynn Mullally, freshman outside hitter Gabi Nguyen and sophomore setter Andrea Gonzalez.

Mullally averaged 4.60 digs and 4.57 assists per set in conference, Nguyen averaged 4.16 kills and 4.16 digs  and Gonzlez averaged 6.65 assists per set in conference.

Mullally was among the leaders in total digs and digs per set in conference and Nugyen was among the top players in conference in kills per set and total kills.

Fullerton, which took fourth in the conference, had freshman right side Alex Winfield named first team all-conference. She was a do it all player for the Hornets, averaging 2.30 kills, 5.55 assists and 1.61 digs in conference action.

Orange Coast had two players named to the first team, highlighted by second-year first-team member Carina Perez.

Perez, a libero, led the conference in digs per set at 6.75. Sophomore setter Danielle Boyette, who averaged 8.52 assists per set in conference, was also selected to the first team.

Riverside sophomore outside hitter Naomi Tilford and Santa Ana sophomore libero Myriah Kunipo-Aguirre rounded out the first team.

Tilford averaged 2.47 kills and 2.21 digs per set in conference and Kunipo-Aguirre, who was tops in overall digs in conference play, averaged 6.35 per set.

Fourteen players made up the all-conference second team.

From Fullerton were sophomore middle blocker Kelsey Smith, sophomore outside hitters Briana Cervantes and Kali LaBrie and freshman outside hitter Grace Lopez.

Orange Coast honorees were freshman outside hitter Danyelle Brown, sophomore outside hitter Sierra Brown and sophomore middle blocker Kellie Kleszcz.

Saddleback freshman outside hitter Ta'lor Crandall and sophomore libero Kimie Taketa, Golden West freshman outside hitters Jasmine Hogan and Ashley Pettibone, Cypress freshman libero Ave Mikaele, Riverside freshman middle blocker Ashley Tamas and Irvine Valley freshman middle blocker Hannah Matt made up the rest of the conference's second team.

Click HERE for the complete All-Orange Empire Conference Team list.