Irvine Valley's men's tennis team is looking to continue its upward climb in the state when the Lasers open their 2015 season this afternoon at El Camino.
The Lasers have had the two best seasons in program history in 2013 and 2014 under coach Ross Duncan.
Irvine Valley finished with a record of 13-4 overall, finished second in the Orange Empire Conference and just missed the Southern California Regional Playoffs in 2013.
Then last season, IVC had a season to remember.
The Lasers had the best finish at the college, ending up second at the State Championships. They had a record of 17-3 and two of those losses were to four-year schools during the regular season.
Irvine Valley, which featured a close-knit group of local talent as well as internationals, swept through the Orange Empire Conference for that title and made a run to remember in the playoffs.
The Lasers, made up of Guillermo Ucelay, Simon Guillin, Steven Le, James Lafond, Jack Divorty, Kevin Pham, Max Rumeau, Thomas Gibson, Austin Do, Benjamin Groud, Eduardo Salbego, Robert Sielmann, Gabriel Barazetti and Saumaun Heiat, won their first ever Orange Empire Conference title, hosted their first ever playoff match, were the top team in Southern California and finished as the runner-up at the CCCAA State Championships.
Irvine Valley is ranked No. 1 in Southern California by the ITA to start this season.
And the Lasers return several key players from last year's team, including top singles players Ucelay, Guillin and Rumeau and doubles specialist Do. Transfer Valentin Baize from College of the Desert is expected to help. And local freshman standouts Carson Williams (Corona del Mar), Scott Paz (Trabuco Hills) and Luis Castillo (Beckman) along with a new group of players from overseas have been added to the mix.
Duncan hopes to lead IVC to more success this season with the impressive lineup.
Among its other accomplishments in 2014, the Irvine Valley men's tennis team was named the IVC team of the year at the 2013-14 athletics banquet in part because of the group's camaraderie and constant support and cheering for each other at all times.
Irvine Valley didn't come away with the team title at the State Championships at Ventura College in late April, losing to defending champion Fresno City, 5-2, in the final.
But that didn't take away from what the team achieved in 2014.
Irvine Valley won the biggest match in program history a few days before state, beating perennial power College of the Desert in the Southern California Regional playoff final.
Guillin, playing No. 2 singles for IVC, was down to his last point twice in the deciding singles match, but battled and rallied for a 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-5 victory.
Guillin's win gave Irvine Valley a 5-4 victory over COD.
The Lasers defeated Grossmont and Mt. San Jacinto to begin the playoff run.
There were many other highlights to the season.
IVC claimed the award for most wins during the state individual singles and doubles competitions by a community college at Ojai.
Irvine Valley had six singles players and three doubles teams competing in the tournaments.
Among the other accolades for the team, the Lasers won their most matches in history (17) in a season, went 17-3 overall and were 10-0 in conference play.
Ucelay was selected as the Orange Empire Conference player of the year and later as one of 15 players picked to the CAJUCO All-American team by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Ucelay had a record of 19-3 in singles, playing at the No. 1 position, and was also 18-5 in doubles. He reached the quarterfinals of both the singles and doubles draws at the state event.
Irvine Valley second-year coach Ross Duncan was also named the conference's coach of the year.
