Irvine Valley dominates singles to claim 3C2A Men's Tennis Championship
April 23, 2025
VENTURA - After falling behind 2-0 in doubles play, the Irvine Valley men’s tennis team stormed back to win the final doubles match and four consecutive singles points to claim the 2025 3C2A State Championship Wednesday in Ventura. Sufyan Ashraf and Lucas Diaz salvaged the doubles point for the Lasers and Diaz posted a love, love win in singles to lead the charge to the title.
Foothill’s Dany Yavir and Isacc Wang got the Owls off to a string start, breaking the Lasers early in No. 2 doubles, and again late in capturing the first point of the match, 8-4.
IVC’s Luciano Pardo and Nick Grove got off to a strong start in No. 1 doubles, building a 4-1 lead. Abdala Quintero and Keisure Ariga turned things around for the Owls, however, winning the next four games on their way to an 8-5 triumph and a 2-0 lead.
Ashraf and Diaz came through big for IVC on Court 3, winning the match 8-3 to pick up a point for the Lasers heading to singles play.
IVC head coach Ross Duncan reminded his team how things could change quickly in singles play.
“We drew on our experience against Riverside,” said Duncan. “We were up 3-0 after doubles and they came out and won the first five sets in singles.
“I told them that doubles was the sprint and singles was the marathon. We wanted to win the marathon.”
Irvine was dominant in singles play from the beginning, taking the first set on all but one of the six courts. Luis Moros was the first of three Lasers to quickly earn points when Ariga retired for the Owls down 6-3, 4-2.
Diaz followed soon thereafter with his love and love win on Court 4 before Ashraf posted his 6-2, 6-1 win in No. 3 singles.
Nevin McCann took his first set on Court 6, 6-1 and knew that the title was close at hand when he finished off Nathan Nguyen 6-1 in the second set to take the crown.
“Everyone was watching, and I felt the pressure,” said McCann. “We had different players clinch throughout the playoffs, and it felt good that I could do it (today).”
The Lasers, who came into the playoffs as Southern California’s No. 4 seed, end the season with a 13-2 overall record. Their march to the program’s fourth title included road wins at No. 1 Ventura and No. 3 Riverside before the final Wednesday.
Foothill, meanwhile, ends the season at 11-3.
“What is great about this team is how different players step up at different times,” said Duncan. “It built team spirit and kept us sharp.”
Irvine Valley 5, Foothill 2
Doubles
1. Abdala Quintero/Keisure Ariga (FC) def. Luciano Pardo/Nick Grove (IVC), 8-5
2. Dany Yavir/Isacc Wang (FC) def. Nevin McCann/Luis Moros (IVC), 8-4
3. Sufyan Ashraf/Lucas Diaz (IVC) def. Andy Fang/Nathaniel Santiago (FC), 8-3
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
1. Quintero (FC) led Grove (IVC), 7-5, 1-2 DNF
2. Moros (IVC) def. Ariga (FC), 6-3, 4-2, retired
3. Ashraf (IVC) def. Yavir (FC), 6-2, 6-1
4. Diaz (IVC) def. Fang (FC), 6-0, 6-0
5. Pardo (IVC) led Wang (FC), 6-3, 4-2 DNF
6. McCann (IVC) def. Nathan Nguyen (FC), 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 3, 6
(Robin Hester, Ventura College)
