In leading up to the start of the 2015-16 athletics campaign at Irvine Valley, which starts on Aug. 24 with women's volleyball competing in the Azusa Pacific scrimmage tournament, the Laser athletic department is counting down the top 10 IVC sports stories from the 2014-15 school year.
At No. 3 on the list is the Irvine Valley men's tennis team winning the program's first-ever State Championship. Irvine Valley lost in the state final in its first-ever appearance in 2014, but was determined not to let it happen again in 2015. Under the direction of third-year coach Ross Duncan, the Lasers had too much for Foothill College in the final, earning a 5-2 victory at the Pierpoint Club. Freshman Tony Selim won the deciding match for the Lasers and the celebration started soon after. The Lasers finished the season with a record of 18-1 overall. Their only defeat came to NAIA ranked Concordia. IVC also went undefeated for the second straight year in the Orange Empire Conference for its second conference title in a row.
Irvine Valley's men's tennis team was determined to make 2015 its year.
The Lasers completed their journey Wednesday in Ventura with a 5-2 victory over Foothill to win the program's first ever state title.
The California Community College Athletic Association dual team State Championship took place at the Pierpont Club between the top team in Southern California, Irvine Valley, and the No. 1 team from Northern California, Foothill.
Irvine Valley fell in the state final last year to Fresno City, but was not going to let it happen again.
IVC, with an even deeper lineup and better doubles play this year under third-year coach Ross Duncan, had a little too much for Foothill in the final.
The Lasers took a 2-1 lead in matches through the doubles portion of the contest and then won two of the first three singles matches to capture the title.
The celebration by the jovial bunch of IVC players and supporters started immediately on the court where freshman Tony Selim won the deciding match.
Irvine Valley (18-1 overall) got wins in doubles from its top team of sophomores Guillermo Ucelay and Simon Guillin and its No. 3 team of freshmen Carson Williams and Scott Paz.
Williams and Paz were first off the courts with a 8-2 win over Foothill's Daniel Kim and Ryan Lam.
Ucelay and Guillin then defeated Foothill's Rihards Feldmanis and Felipe Resende, 8-5, to put IVC up in matches, 2-0.
But Foothill hung tough and made things interesting heading into singles when it got a win from its No. 2 team of Brenden Lum and Braden Holt in a tiebreaker, 9-8 (8-6), over Irvine Valley's duo of sophomore Max Rumeau and sophomore Valentin Baize.
Ucelay gave Irvine Valley a 3-1 lead with a victory at No. 1 singles.
The two-time player of the year in the Orange Empire Conference defeated Foothill's Feldmanis, 6-1, 6-3.
Foothill answered back with a win at No. 2 singles with Lum beating Guillin, 6-2, 6-4.
But Irvine Valley won the next two singles matches to take the title.
Williams, one of IVC's most consistent performers throughout the season, defeated Holt, 6-2, 6-2, at the No. 4 position.
And then Selim capped the victory with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Foothill's Kim at No. 5 singles.
The loss was Foothill's first of the season. The Northern California champions finished with a record of 21-1.
Irvine Valley got to the final with a 5-0 win over always tough College of the Desert in the Southern California Regional final.
"We have more well-rounded doubles play," said Duncan after the win over COD. "We have three really strong doubles teams. Another key is our depth. Our depth is just incredible. We have so many guys that can step up."
