Irvine Valley's men's tennis team started its 2025 season with a split of matches this week.
The Lasers swept Saddleback, 9-0, in an Orange Empire Conference match on Tuesday on the road and then lost a tough match, 5-4, at Riverside on Thursday.
IVC only dropped just three games in three doubles matches at Saddleback to start the day.
Irvine Valley's No. 3 team of freshmen Jonathan Hinkel and Bradley Young were the stars of doubles, winning, 8-0.
The Lasers cruised in singles, losing just six games in total over six matches.
Winning in singles were sophomores Nick Grove, Sufyan Ashraf and Luis Moros, freshmen Nevin McCann and Hinkel and sophomore Nicholas Villar.
Grove won, 6-0, 6-1, on the first court, Ashraf and Moros each swept, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 2 and No. 3.
McCann (No. 4) and Villar (No. 6) dropped just two games and Hinkel won, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 5 singles.
Against Riverside, Irvine Valley got off to a slow start, losing all three doubles matches.
The Lasers tried to battle back in singles competition.
Irvine Valley won toigh matches on the first, third, fourth and sixth courts.
IVC's Grove pulled out a 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 victory at No. 1 singles.
Moros won, 6-4, 6-1, on the third court, McCann came through with a 6-7, 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 4 and Villar won in straight sets in the sixth spot.
Irvine Valley lost a tough, three-set match at No. 5.
IVC plays again next Tuesday in another conference contest at home against Fullerton at 2 p.m.
