Men’s Tennis Team in Good Shape After Victories Over Ranked Teams

The men’s tennis team is on the upswing these days, having won four of its last five matches including victories last week against two ranked teams, No. 14 California and No. 46 Illinois.

One reason for the recent surge by Irvine (7-4) has been the play of junior Steve Tallakson, a transfer from Ball State in Indiana.

Tallakson is 6-5 as Irvine’s No. 3 singles player. He has really made a difference for Irvine in doubles. Tallakson and partner Cameran Lindee, Irvine’s No. 2 team, are 9-2--better than the 7-4 mark record of the No. 1 team of Marc Tardif and Julian Foxon, who have won their last three matches.

The two victories last week, especially the one against California, have Tallakson believing the Anteaters, ranked 44th, are on the right path.

“Rankings-wise [the victory] was an upset,” Tallakson said. “But they are the level we should be. We should beat some top-20 teams. We have so much depth, we beat almost anyone if we’re on.”

Irvine might get a better indication of its stature this week. The Anteaters host fifth-ranked Harvard and No. 13 Texas Christian. TCU has the nation’s second-ranked singles player (Paul Robinson) and two nationally ranked doubles teams, as does Harvard.

Just the kind of challenge Tallakson likes.

“To win, we just have to play good tennis,” Tallakson said. “All season we’ve stayed close to teams, but haven’t gotten over the hump until Cal. If we get one or two more wins this week, we’ll be set.”

Tallakson was a two-sport performer at Nordoff High in Ojai, playing water polo as well as tennis. In water polo, Tallakson played the two-meter or hole position. “It could get pretty rough in there,” he said.

Tennis won out. “I was a little better at it,” Tallakson said. He helped Nordoff to the Southern Section Division IV team championship in 1993.

Tallakson accepted a scholarship to Ball State, but had trouble adapting to the weather and the distance from home. “We played indoors. But even indoors it was cold,” Tallakson said. “And I was homesick.”

After Ball State Coach Bill Richards agreed to release him from the scholarship, Tallakson checked with several California schools about the possibility of coming there and playing tennis. He found Irvine willing and able.

“In the juniors he was a top Southern California player,” Irvine Coach Steve Clark said. “But when I came here, he was already at Ball State. Then he called and asked to play. Anyone who was a top player for Ball State was on this team.

“He has energy and is very intense. He gets so pumped up on the court, it becomes contagious for the rest of the players. Even though he’s not a captain, he’s very much a leader on the team.”

Tallakson describes his game as “pure serve-and-volley,” which is better suited for the hard courts most college matches are played on. He said he doesn’t prefer one over the other, but says singles is harder than doubles.

“In doubles, the game is quicker but you have a partner to rely on,” Tallakson said. “In singles you’re out there by yourself.”

After college Tallakson would like to try to play professionally, but said he is now at an age when sponsorship can be limited even for excellent players.

“Sometimes it’s harder to get financing because they say you’re getting too old at 22 and 23,” Tallakson said. “Even if you’re good, it takes two to three years to break into the pro game. And players often peak around 25 years of age.”

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Anteater notes

Raimonds Miglinieks, the Big West player of the year in men’s basketball, was named most valuable player at the men’s basketball banquet Monday. Miglinieks, the Division I leader in assists at 8.5 per game, averaged 13.9 points and led the Anteaters with 40 steals and 67 three-pointers. Senior forward Michael Tate, was honored as the best defensive player. The most improved players were sophomore guard Brian Keefe and senior forward Shaun Battle. Battle also received the Michelle Smith-Pontell Academic Challenge Award. . . . The Irvine men’s and women’s track and field teams begin their home meet seasons this Saturday, hosting Cal State Fullerton, Cornell, Ohio State, Minnesota, Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Los Angeles at the UCI Track Stadium. The field events begin at 11 a.m., and the running events at 1:15 p.m. . . . The women’s tennis team faces Texas Arlington at 10 a.m. Sunday, and Santa Clara next at noon Monday.