BERKELEY, Calif. – Paul Barretto had a big win in singles for the 15th-ranked Cal men's tennis team, but that wasn't enough to stave off a 4-1 loss to No. 3 USC on Saturday at the Hellman Tennis Complex.
 
Along with Cal's 4-2 win over No. 10 UCLA on Friday, Cal's record now stands at 2-2 with the nonconference loss to USC. The Trojans improved to 4-0.
 
"We played two top teams this weekend and came away with a split," said Peter Wright, Cal's Director of Men's Tennis. "It's early in the season, and we have plenty to work on in both doubles and singles. The good news is that we're playing with purpose and poise. I have a lot of faith in this group, and their work ethic, determination and love of the game is what motivates me every day."
 
Barretto upset the 26th-ranked Riley Smith, 6-4, 6-2, to put the Golden Bears on the board, trailing 3-1. But USC clinched the victory when the 37th-ranked Stefan Dostanic defeated Cal junior Ben Draper, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
 
Cal had another strong showing in doubles on Saturday, after winning the doubles point against No. 10 UCLA on Friday. The 22nd-ranked pair of Draper and Bjorn Hoffmann beat Dostanic and Bradley Frye, 6-4, on court three, while the Bears lost on court two. Cal's duo of Barretto and Can Kaya knotted their court-one match against Smith and Daniel Cukierman at 5-5, before the Trojans prevailed 7-5 to claim the doubles point.
 
The Trojans doubled their lead to 2-0 when the 25th-ranked Brandon Holt toppled Cal's 34th-ranked Yuta Kikuchi, 6-0, 6-3. USC went ahead 3-0 when Cukierman, the nation's top-ranked player, upended Cal's Jack Molloy, 6-3, 6-2.
 
Barretto's court-three win over Smith gave Cal hope at 3-1 down, with the remaining three matches going to three sets, until Smith ended the day for the Bears.
 
Cal returns to action when the Bears host dual matches against Sacramento State and San Francisco on Feb. 9 at Hellman.
 
No. 3 USC (4-0) defeated No. 15 California (2-2), 4-1
Feb. 1, 2020, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Doubles
1. Daniel Cukierman/Riley Smith (USC) def. Paul Barretto/Can Kaya (Cal), 7-5*
2. Mor Bulis/Brandon Holt (USC) def. Jack Molloy/Yuta Kikuchi (Cal), 6-2
3. No. 22 Ben Draper/Bjorn Hoffmann (Cal) def. Stefan Dostanic/Bradley Frye (USC), 6-4

Order of Finish – 2, 3, 1*
*Clinched the doubles point

Singles
1. No. 25 Brandon Holt (USC) def. No. 34 Yuta Kikuchi (Cal) 6-0, 6-3
2. No. 1 Daniel Cukierman (USC) def. No. 49 Jack Molloy (Cal), 6-3, 6-2
3. Paul Barretto (Cal) def. No. 26 Riley Smith (USC), 6-4, 6-2
4. Kent Hunter (Cal) vs. No. 9 Mor Bulis (USC), 6-4, 3-6, 2-1 Unfinished
5. No. 37 Stefan Dostanic (USC) def. Ben Draper (Cal), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1^
6. No. 81 Bjorn Hoffmann (Cal) vs. Bradley Frye (USC), 1-6, 6-4, 4-5 Unfinished

Order of Finish – 1, 2, 3, 5^
^Clinched the overall match