CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP:

For a photo gallery of this match, click here.

IRVINE — The Orange Coast College men’s volleyball team got hot at the right time to advance to the California Community College state title match Saturday at Irvine Valley College.

But it was the host Lasers who benefited more from some late-season temperature control, on their way to a dominant 30-24, 30-23, 30-20 triumph over the Pirates.

The defending champion Lasers (18-2) lost a Pacific Coast Conference match to Palomar on April 9, their second-to-last regular-season contest. It not only chilled a 13-match winning streak, but IVC Coach Tom Pestolesi said it helped his players refocus on their ultimate goal.

“We got real fortunate that we lost at the exact time we needed to lose,” said Pestolesi, whose coaching career includes stops at Estancia High and Newport Harbor. “Palomar, at the end of the year, was really a good loss for us. It refocused us.

“Our early season loss [at Los Angeles Pierce in the third match of the season] helped us learn how to prepare for a match on the road. So, when things went bad for us, they went bad at the right time, and the guys responded.”

Things went bad for OCC (15-7) most of the match Saturday, the first sweep in a state final since rally scoring to 30 was adopted in 2001. The last three-game final came in 1998, when Golden West routed Santa Barbara City, 15-7, 15-5, 15-13.

“We ran into a buzzsaw tonight,” OCC Coach Travis Turner said. “[The Lasers] played a great match. I think they were kind of on a mission after they lost two weeks ago to Palomar. I think that hurt us right there, that loss to Palomar.”

With IVC conducting its brand of Laser surgery, OCC found it difficult to parlay its penchant for winning “ugly” points into any sustained momentum.

The Pirates, who upset Santa Monica in four games in Thursday’s semifinal, led by as many as two in the first (8-6) and second (7-5) games. But IVC rallied to earn resounding victories each time, then led wire-to-wire in the finale.

“Our strength is our balance,” Pestolesi said. “We didn’t intimidate one team all year. [Our] guys are all 6-foot-3, 6-2, or whatever, but they can play volleyball.”

IVC sophomore outside hitter Peter Johnson, who stands at 6-4 and shared Pacific Coast Conference Player of the Year laurels with 6-2 OCC sophomore Kevin Welch, led the way for the winners. He collected 23 kills, helping the Lasers amass 48 kills while committing just four hitting errors. Johnson, who signed with UC San Diego Saturday, Pestolesi said, was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

OCC had 38 kills and nine hitting errors, though its 11 service errors were three fewer than IVC.

Welch, however, earned praise from both coaches, not only for his 19 kills Saturday, but for his intangibles.

“[The Pirates] weren’t supposed to be in the final,” Pestolesi said. “Kevin Welch just willed that team to play about 25% better than it’s capable of playing. It’s great to compete against him, but I’m just glad he’s done [he’s being recruited by USC, Hawaii and Lewis], because he just makes everybody a lot better. He’s a great kid and a great competitor, but we had more balance and that was the difference.”

Sophomore Grant Keene had nine kills and freshman Mike Stewart added seven for the Pirates, for whom freshman setter Corey Ferraro had 35 assists.

Welch made the all-tournament team, as did OCC freshman libero Andrew Pizula, who had a team-high seven digs in the final.

“I’m very proud to have gotten here,” Turner said. “No one would have thought at the beginning of the year that we’d get here. But we had great kids. [Welch] kind of put the saddle on and we rode him all the way. And, all the role guys did a great job. I told all these guys that they were so lucky to play with [Welch], because that is going to make them all better players. They all learned a lot from him.”

Welch, who accepted a football scholarship to Indiana out of Corona del Mar High, is primarily being considered as a libero at the four-year level. But Turner said it would be a mistake not to take advantage of his prowess at the net.

“I don’t think he’s going to play libero,” Turner said. “I think that’s what [Division I coaches] think. But try to keep him off the court, is what I tell them. Good luck. If [playing libero is] what they want him to do, that’s what he’ll do. But anybody who has seen him compete as long as I have in every sport [he starred in football and also played basketball at CdM], knows he’s a winner.”

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.