Men's tennis team moves on with shutout win over Saddleback

Men's tennis team moves on with shutout win over Saddleback

Irvine Valley's men's tennis team reached its fourth straight CCCAA Regional Team Playoff Final with another easy win on Tuesday afternoon.

Top-seeded Irvine Valley, which is the two-time defending state champion, defeated Orange Empire Conference rival and fourth-seeded Saddleback, 5-0, in a little over two hours at home.

Irvine Valley stayed unbeaten on the season, improving its record to 17-0. The Lasers have now won 33 straight matches dating back to last season.

Saddleback ended its team season with a record of 14-8 overall.

Irvine Valley captured all three doubles matches and then clinched the overall victory with two quick wins in singles.

In doubles, Irvine Valley's No. 2 team of freshmen Wyatt DeMulling and Chris Politiek won, 8-1, to earn the first point for the Lasers. DeMulling and Politiek were the co-doubles team of the year in the Orange Empire Conference this season.

Irvine Valley then got a 8-2 victory on the third court from sophomore Gavin Lynch and freshman Leszek Mirecki before the No. 1 team of sophomores Javier Callejo and Lucas Lesoeur won, 8-5.

Behind some big serving, Lesoeur defeated Saddleback's Riku Goto, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 2 singles to move Irvine Valley within a match of the win.

Politiek ended things on court four, beating Tyler Bloom, 6-2, 6-1.

Irvine Valley's DeMulling, Callejo, Mirecki and sophomore Luis Castillo were each all up a set on other singles courts when the match was halted.

Irvine Valley moves on to play either No. 2 Cerritos or No. 3 Cypress on Saturday at home in the regional final.

The Lasers have faced both teams this season and the matches have been tight.

IVC defeated Cerritos, 5-4, in a nonconference match on Feb. 25 at home.

Irvine Valley rallied to beat Cypress, 5-4, in a conference match at home on Feb. 28 and then defeated the Chargers on the road, 6-3, on Mar. 14 to wrap up the outright conference title.

Singles

1) Wyatt DeMulling (IVC) vs. Jeff Gelman (SC), 6-2, 2-3 unfinished

2) Lucas Lesoeur (IVC) def. Riko Goto (SC), 6-0, 6-1

3) Javir Callejo (IVC) vs. Kris Harris (SC), 6-3, 3-1 unfinished

4) Chris Politiek (IVC) def. Tyler Bloom (SC), 6-2, 6-1

5) Leszek Mirecki (IVC) vs. Mike Park, 6-3, 1-0 unfinished

6) Luis Castillo (IVC) vs. Andrew Tran, 6-2, 1-0 unfinished

Doubles

1) Lesoeur/Callejo (IVC) def. Goto/Gelman (SC), 8-5

2) DeMulling/Politiek (IVC) def. David Gustafson/Bloom (SC), 8-1

3) Mirecki/Gavin Lynch (IVC) def. Park/Tran (SC), 8-2