Kronemann Powers UC Irvine Into Lead : Big West Conference: Key victory at No. 1 singles puts Anteaters ahead of Fresno State, 40-38, after tournament’s second day.

Trevor Kronemann was at his overpowering best Saturday during the Big West Conference men’s tennis championships at Libbey Park.

Kronemann, UC Irvine’s No. 1 singles player, hammered all manner of serves, overhead smashes and cross-court winners past Marcos Garzo of Fresno State to win, 6-3, 6-3.

But leave it to Irvine Coach Greg Patton to come up with the definitive description of Kronemann’s victory, which helped push the Anteaters to a two-point lead on the second day of the three-day tournament.

“It was like a grizzly bear jumping on a deer,” Patton said. “(Kronemann) was a like a warrior.

“When (Kronemann) puts his mind to it, when he’s prepared, his tennis is awesome. It’s as big as he is.”

And Kronemann is big, standing 6-feet-3 and weighing 223 pounds.

Suffice to say, Kronemann puts a lot behind his shots.

Saturday, he overwhelmed Garzo, who had beaten Kronemann in the Irvine-Fresno State dual match last Sunday.

“It’s great to know you’re playing well,” said Kronemann, who reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA singles tournament last year. “On the big points, you don’t get as nervous as you normally would.”

After the second day, Irvine led Fresno State, 40-38.

“It gives us a little breathing room,” Patton said.

Cal State Long Beach is third with 28 points and Nevada Las Vegas is fourth with 24.

The Anteaters and Bulldogs meet today, in three singles finals and one doubles final.

Irvine’s Richard Lubner plays Fresno State’s Greg Andersen at No. 2 singles; Mike Roberts of UCI plays Nils Koitka of Fresno at No. 4 singles; and Carsten Hoffmann of UCI plays Mike Noel of Fresno at No. 5 singles.

Roberts and Hoffmann face Koitka and Noel at No. 2 doubles.

Kronemann, who has never lost a singles match in Big West tournament play, meets Mike Chinchiolo of San Jose State in the No. 1 singles final.

The Irvine women’s team pulled out a 5-4 victory over UNLV to take third place.

Victories by Ali Yoshimoto and Michelle Foster over Debbie Higa and Chris Gaynor, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 2 doubles and by Erin Abe and Jennifer Mazgedian over Teal Lane and Mary Jacocks, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 3 doubles helped Irvine win the match.

The Irvine women ends their season at 12-19.

San Diego State defeated UC Santa Barbara, 5-1, to win the championship. Cal State Fullerton lost to Hawaii, 5-4, in the seventh-place match.