Irvine Valley is dominant again, repeats as state champion
After beating its first three postseason opponents, 5-0, Irvine Valley takes down American River, 5-1, in the CCCAA State Championship on Wednesday in Ventura.
Irvine Valley's men's tennis team handled another postseason opponent with ease and repeated as the California Community College Athletic Association state champion on Tuesday at Ventura College.
IVC, which won its first three playoff matches in the Southern California Regionals by the score of 5-0, defeated American River from Sacramento in the title match, 5-1.
American River's No. 1 doubles team of Joseph Capaul and Alex Meliuk gave the Beavers their only point on the day.
Irvine Valley won two of three doubles matches and the first three singles contests to earn another championship.
IVC finishes the season with a 21-2 record as ARC walks away 17-3.
The Lasers, playing in their third consecutive state final, won their last 16 matches of the season and completed a perfect season against community college competition (both defeats came to four-year universities).
The IVC No. 2 doubles team of sophomores Scott Paz and Bruno Figlia won, 8-4, and the No. 3 team of freshman Gavin Lynch and sophomore Kevin Pham won, 8-3, to give IVC a 2-1 lead in matches heading into the singles round.
Then Irvine Valley won easy at the third, fourth and fifth singles spots to take the match.
Freshman Javier Callejo defeated Capaul, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 3 singles.
Freshman Octave Bellet beat Sean McDaniel, 6-0, 6-0, at the No. 4 spot.
And Figlia took down Dylan King, 6-1, 6-0, on the fifth court to give IVC the overall win.
Irvine Valley has a record of 38-5 over the last two seasons.
Irvine Valley 5, American River 1
Doubles
1) Joseph Capaul/Alex Meliuk (ARC) def. Sam Cohen/Javi Callejo (IVC) 8-3
2) Scott Paz/Bruno Figlia (IVC) def. Cody Duong/Sean McDaniel (ARC) 8-4
3) Gavin Lynch/Kevin Pham (IVC) def. Justin Barton/TJ Auckland (ARC) 8-3
Singles
1) Sam Cohen (IVC) vs Alex Meliuk (ARC) unfinished
2) Flavien Raveau (IVC) vs Cody Duong (ARC) unfinished
3) Javi Callejo (IVC) def. Joseph Capaul (ARC) 6-2, 6-0
4) Octave Bellet (IVC) def. Sean McDaniel (ARC) 6-0, 6-0
5) Bruno Figlia (IVC) def. Dylan King (ARC) 6-1, 6-0
6) Juan Puyana (IVC) vs TJ Auckland (ARC) unfinished