Irvine Valley tops Riverside and earns OEC women's tennis title

Irvine Valley's women's tennis team avenged an earlier loss to Riverside and with it captured its first Orange Empire Conference title in program history.

IVC's first conference title happened in 1999.

The Lasers earned at least a share of the title with a 6-3 win at Riverside on Tuesday afternoon. It was the regular season finale for Irvine Valley.

IVC, which was ranked No. 1 in Southern California in the last Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, improved its record to 10-4 overall and 8-2 in conference.

Orange Coast improved to 7-2 in conference with a win over Cypress on Tuesday and can share the title with IVC if it beats Fullerton on Thursday.

Riverside will finish third in the OEC with a record of 6-4.

Irvine Valley lost to Riverside, 5-4, at home on Mar. 7.

But Tuesday on the road was a different story for the Lasers.

IVC took control with wins in all three doubles contests and then split the six singles matches to come away with the win.

The key was the start in doubles. The team of Sarah Mae Garcia and freshman Fiorella Dreux defeated Riverside's Hana Papaco and Breyer Floyd, 8-4, to start the round at No. 1 doubles.

Then IVC's No. 2 team of sophomore Lou Baize and freshman Lorna Morris came away with an 8-4 victory over Nani Nguyen and Ashley Bauman.

Finally on the third court, IVC's team of sophomore Samantha Paz and freshman Lauren MacDonnell battled for a 9-7 victory over Ellia Rosada and Sam Moreto.

Riverside earned its first point of the day when IVC's Paz had to retire early in a match on the fourth court in singles.

But Irvine Valley clinched the overall win shortly after that with its fourth and fifth points after Morris won, 6-0, 6-0, on the third court and Baize came through with a 6-0, 6-3 win on court No. 2.

Irvine Valley's other win in singles came from Dreux with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Bauman.

Irvine Valley will begin play in the Southern California Regional Dual Team Playoffs next Tuesday. The Lasers are expected to be one of the top seeds and get a home match in the first round.

IVC will then compete in the conference finals for singles and doubles next Thursday and Friday at Cypress. The event is the individual qualifier for the state championship events at Ojai later this month.

Singles

1) Hana Papaco (RCC) def. Sarah Mae Garcia (IVC) 7-6 (3), 5-2 retired injury

2) Lou Baize (IVC) def. Ellia Rosado (RCC) 6-0, 6-3

3) Lorna Morris (IVC) def. Sam Moreto (RCC) 6-0, 6-0

4) Nani Nguyen (RCC) def. Samantha Paz (IVC) 0-1 retired injury

5) Fiorella Dreux (IVC) def. Ashley Bauman (RCC) 6-1, 7-5

6) Breyer Floyd (RCC) def. Lauren MacDonnell (IVC) 7-6 (1), 6-2

Doubles

1) Garcia/Dreux (IVC) def. Hana Papaco/Breyer Floyd (RCC) 8-4

2) Baize/Morris (IVC) def. Nani Nguyen/Ashley Bauman (RCC) 8-4

3) Paz/MacDonnell (IVC) def. Ellia Rosado/Sam Moreto (RCC) 9-7