No. 18 Men's Tennis Drops 4-1 Decision at No. 1 USC

LOS ANGELES – The No. 18 UCLA men's tennis team earned the first point of the day against crosstown rival USC, but was overcome in singles play by the top-ranked Trojans for a 4-1 loss at David X. Marks Tennis Stadium. With the win in the ITA Kickoff Weekend championship match, USC advanced to next month's ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Urbana, Ill.

The Bruins dropped to 1-1 with the loss, while the Trojans improved to 2-0. UCLA previously beat Pac-12 rival California to open the event Saturday. The championship match was pushed to Monday due to rain in the area.

With all eyes on Court 3, Bruins Ben Goldberg and Mathew Tsolakyan closed out Stefan Dostanic and Ryder Jackson, 7-5, to clinch the doubles point. Goldberg/Tsolakyan, which nearly collected the victory at 5-4, regrouped to take the final two games and the point.

Also victorious on the doubles courts for UCLA was the tandem of Roscoe Bellamy and Max Wild, which bested Bradley Frye and Colter Smith by a 6-4 score on Court 2. The nation's No. 1 pair of Daniel Cukierman and Riley Smith of USC doubled up Sam Feit and Keegan Smith on the top court.

In singles play, the Trojans pulled even on Court 6, where Lodewijk Weststrate defeated Eric Hahn, 6-3, 6-0. No. 19 Riley Smith handed Goldberg a 6-3, 6-3 loss and No. 104 Dostanic dispatched of No. 109 Feit by a 6-2, 7-5 margin.

Despite the losses, the Bruins remained in the match with three third sets up for grabs. Tsolakyan and Roscoe Bellamy each bounced back from lost first sets, but went unfinished as No. 1 Cukierman outlasted No. 10 Smith on Court 1, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs USC
1/25/2021 at Los Angeles, CA
(David X. Marks Tennis Stadium)

#1 USC 4, #18 UCLA 1

Singles competition
1. #1 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. #10 Keegan Smith (UCLA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
2. #19 Riley Smith (USC) def. Ben Goldberg (UCLA) 6-3, 6-3
3. #104 Stefan Dostanic (USC) def. #109 Sam Feit (UCLA) 6-2, 7-5
4. Bradley Frye (USC) vs. Roscoe Bellamy (UCLA) 6-3, 4-6, 2-1, unfinished
5. Ryder Jackson (USC) vs. Mathew Tsolakyan (UCLA) 6-2, 4-6, 2-3, unfinished
6. Lodewijk Weststrate (USC) def. Eric Hahn (UCLA) 6-3, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. #1 Daniel Cukierman/Riley Smith (USC) def. Sam Feit/Keegan Smith (UCLA) 6-3
2. Roscoe Bellamy/Max Wild (UCLA) def. Bradley Frye/Colter Smith (USC) 6-4
3. Ben Goldberg/Mathew Tsolakyan (UCLA) def. Stefan Dostanic/Ryder Jackson (USC) 7-5

Match Notes:
UCLA 1-1; National ranking #18
USC 2-0; National ranking #1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,2,3,1)
ITA Kickoff Weekend - USC Regional