Anteaters Big West champs

The top-seeded UC Irvine men’s tennis team took home the Big West

Conference championship Sunday with a 4-3 victory over No. 2-seeded

University of the Pacific in the title match at the Indian Wells

Tennis Garden.

It’s the first conference title since 1993 for the Anteaters, who

split their six singles matches, but won twice in doubles to claim

the decisive doubles point.

Brian Morton, a Corona del Mar High product, teamed with Rye

Kashiwabara to defeat Arnar Sigursdsson and Vladamir Zdravkovic, 8-5,

at No. 1 doubles, while UCI’s No. 3 doubles tandem of Victor Lamm and

Peter Surapol won, 8-4.

Lamm defeated Niclas Otte, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, at No. 3 singles; UCI’s

Olof Sjolund bested No. 5 singles foe Alan Kelly, 7-6, 6-0; and UCI’s

Mustafa Ulukan earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 6 singles.

It’s the 12th conference title for the UCI men (14-8), who earn

the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. It will be the

‘Eaters’ first NCAA tournament appearance since 1997.