Irvine Valley's men's tennis team made some long-awaited history on Tuesday afternoon.
The Lasers captured their first ever Orange Empire Conference title with a 9-0 win over Cypress.
The win lifted Irvine Valley's record to 8-0 overall in conference play and 13-2 overall.
With two conference contests left and a two-match lead over second-place Riverside in conference, IVC players and coaches could celebrate.
"It means a lot because we want to start something special here," IVC second-year coach Ross Duncan said. "This is the way it begins."
The Lasers won the five singles matches and two doubles contests that were played easily against Cypress.
Cypress defaulted at the No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles positions.
Freshman Max Rumeau defeated Dennis Lee, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1 singles and freshman Robert Sielmann won, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 5 singles to lead IVC.
Freshman Thomas Gibson dropped just one game at No. 2 singles and freshman Saumaun Heiat lost just two games at No. 4 singles.
Irvine Valley also got an 8-1 win at No. 1 doubles from freshman Kevin Pham and Gibson and an 8-2 victory from the No. 2 team of freshman Eduardo Salbego and Heiat.
It was the team's 11th-straight victory and ninth shutout this season.
"A conference title was one of the goals we had when we started to prepare for this season," Duncan said. "We set out to do it and we have achieved it.
"What makes it that much more enjoyable is that we have such a great team. They are good players and really nice guys too. They have really good team spirit and that has helped us along all year."
The Lasers did it all on Tuesday while also using several of their players in nonconference match with Bethany College from Kansas.
Bethany was in Irvine to take on Concordia later in the week.
IVC held its own in many of the matches with four-year college Bethany, which was ranked No. 7 in the NAIA. Bethany came away with a 5-2 victory.
"The experience of playing a team like that is going to help us," Duncan said. "It will make us even better."
Irvine Valley finishes its regular season with two matches on the road now.
The Lasers play at Fullerton on Thursday and will play at Orange Coast on April 1.
Singles
1) Max Rumeau (IVC) def. Dennis Lee (CYP), 6-0, 6-0
2) Thomas Gibson (IVC) def. Joseph Lee (CYP), 6-0, 6-1
3) Eduardo Salbego (IVC) def. Jay Jay Pamplona (CYP), 6-3, 6-1
4) Saumaun Heiat (IVC) def. Bruno Santos (CYP), 6-2, 6-0
5) Robert Sielmann def. Dennis Grissett (CYP), 6-0, 6-0
6) (IVC) won by default
Doubles
1) Kevin Pham/Gibson (IVC) def. D. Lee/J. Lee (CYP), 8-1
2) Salbego/Heiat (IVC) def. Pamplona/Santos (CYP), 8-2
3) (IVC) won by default
