Irvine Valley's men's tennis team showed it is going to be a team to beat once again in the California community college ranks with a strong performance against a tough Cerritos team on Thursday.
Irvine Valley, ranked No. 1 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southern California preseason poll, won five of six singles matches and all three doubles contests to come away with a 8-1 victory over No. 4 Cerritos.
Irvine Valley's record improved to 2-1 overall, while Cerritos dropped its first match and fell to 2-1.
The match was a lot closer than the final score indicated.
Irvine Valley won close matches at the third and fourth positions with freshman Javier Callejo defeating Agustin Lombardi, 1-6, 7-6, 10-3, at third singles and Juan Navarro beating Aleks Trifunovic, 7-5, 6-4, at the fourth spot.
Irvine Valley also got wins in singles from sophomore Sam Cohen at No. 1, freshman Octave Bellet at No. 5 and sophomore Scott Paz at No. 6.
Cohen defeated Oleksandr Krasnov, 7-5, 6-2.
In doubles the teams of Cohen and Callejo (at No. 1) and sophomore Bruno Figlia and Navarro (No. 3) each won, 8-3.
Paz and sophomore Flavien Raveau defeated James Zhang and Trifunovic, 8-6, at the second position.
Irvine Valley plays again next Tuesday when it travels to sixth-ranked Grossmont for a 2 p.m. match. The Lasers' next home contest is Thursday, Feb. 11 against Division 2 Concordia at 3 p.m.
Irvine Valley 8, Cerritos 1
Singles
1) Sam Cohen (IVC) def. Oleksandr Krasnov (CERR), 7-5, 6-2
2) Nikita Katsnelson (CERR) def. Flavien Raveau (IVC), 6-4, 7-6
3) Javier Callejo (IVC) def. Agustin Lombardi (CERR), 1-6, 7-6, 10-3
4) Juan Navarro (IVC) def. Aleks Trifunovic (CERR), 7-5, 6-4
5) Octave Bellet (IVC) def. James Zhang (CERR), 6-2, 6-4
6) Scott Paz (IVC) def. Edgar Munoz (CERR), 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1) Cohen/Callejo (IVC) def. Katsnelson/Krasnov (CERR), 8-3
2) Paz/Raveau (IVC) def. Zhang/Trifunovic (CERR), 8-6
3) Bruno Figlia/Navarro (IVC) def. Mark Antoniuk/Lomabardi (CERR), 8-3
