In leading up to the official start of the 2019-20 athletics campaign at Irvine Valley, which starts on Aug. 27 with the IVC men's soccer team hosting Rio Hondo and the Laser women's soccer team playing at San Diego Mesa, the Irvine Valley athletic department will count down the top 10 sports stories from the 2018-19 school year.
The No. 6 story on the list is about another stellar season for the Irvine Valley men's tennis team. The Lasers captured an Orange Empire Conference title, won 11 of their first 12 matches and fwent 12-2 and 8-0 in conference on the year.
The Irvine Valley men's tennis team was on top of its game in 2019.
The Lasers won an Orange Empire Conference title, went 12-2 overall and 8-0 in conference, and were just one match away from making another state tournament championship final appearance.
Irvine Valley wrapped up an undefeated Orange Empire Conference campaign and won its 11th match in a row with a 8-1 victory over Riverside to finish off the regular season in early April.
The Lasers won all three doubles matches and then took five of six singles contests.
In doubles, Irvine Valley's top team of sophomore Leszek Mirecki and freshman Julian Lafond won, 8-2.
The No. 2 Laser team of freshmen Derek Lin and Rodrigo Souza came out on top, 8-1, and the No. 3 team of sophomore Thallys Santos and Mateo Maya won, 8-1.
In singles, Lafond defeated Gleb Mityurin, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 1 singles.
Lin fell at No. 2 singles, but the Lasers got straight-set wins from Souza at No. 3, Santos at No. 4, freshman Jorge Villagra at the fifth spot and Maya at No. 6.
Souza and Maya didn't drop a set in their victories.
IVC moved on to the playoffs and defeated Ventura, 5-0, in the opening round.
Irvine Valley fell to College of the Desert, 5-2, in the second round of the Southern California Regional Dual Playoffs at home.
Several Lasers moved on to individual play at the CCCAA State Championships at Ojai.
The IVC team of Lin and Parker McBride reached the quarterfinals of the doubles draw.
And Mirecki was also named a sophomore player of the year and Ross Duncan was selected coach of the year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Lafond and Mirecki each reached the quarterfinals in the singles draw.
