Irvine Valley captures first ever men's tennis State Championship
The Lasers, who finished as the runner-up last year, defeat Foothill, 5-2, on Wednesday at the Pierpont Club in Ventura for the first ever tennis title in program history. IVC finished its dual team season with a record of 18-1.
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 determined not 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 Tony Selim won the deciding match.
Irvine Valley (18-1 overall) got wins in doubles from its top team of Guillermo Ucelay and Simon Guillin and its No. 3 team of 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 Max Rumeau and 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 21-0.
Irvine Valley def. Foothill, 5-2
Doubles
1) Simon Guillin/Guillermo Ucelay (IVC) def. Rihards Feldmanis/Felipe Resende (FC), 8-5
2) Brenden Lum/Braden Holt (FC) def. Max Rumeau/Valentin Baize (IVC), 9-8 (6)
3) Scott Paz/Carson Williams (IVC) def. Daniel Kim/Ryan Lam (FC), 8-2
Order of finish - 1, 3, 2
Singles
1) Guillermo Ucelay (IVC) defeated Rihards Feldmanis 6-1, 6-3
2) Brenden Lum (FC) def. Simon Guillin (IVC), 6-2, 6-4
3) Felipe Resende (FC) vs. Flavien Raveau (IVC) 6-4, 4-5 unfinished
4) Carson Williams (IVC) def. Braden Holt (FC), 6-2, 6-2
5) Tony Selim (IVC) def. Daniel Kim (FC), 6-1, 6-2
6) Bruno Figlia (IVC) vs. Ryan Lam (FC), 6-4, 5-0, unfinished
Order of finish - 1, 2, 4, 5