The No. 23 California Golden Bears (4-3) suffered their third straight loss of the season against the No. 22 USC Trojans (4-2), 4-3, in their first match of a three-game weekend, at Hellman Tennis Complex on Saturday.

To begin the match, Cal lost the doubles point after losses on courts one and three. This is the Bears' first defeat at doubles this season.
In singles play against the Trojans, the Bears began with losses on courts one and four. The Bears then came from behind to level the score with wins on court two, three and five. On court three, junior Timofey Stepanov cut the deficit to two, defeating Jack McCarthy 6-2, 6-1. Minutes later, Bernardo Munk Mesa defeated Niels Hoffman 6-3, 6-3 on court five, while teammate Fryderyk Lechno-Wasiutynski defeated Nathan Trouve 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(3). However, the Bears couldn't complete the comeback with USC's Andrin Casanova defeating Cal's Lenn Luemkemann 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

The Bears will look to bounce back against UCLA and UC Davis on Sunday in Berkeley.

Cal vs. USC Breakdown
Singles

1. Branko Djuric (USC) def. Tiago Silva (Cal) 6-2, 6-2
2. Fryderyk Lechno-Wasiutynski (Cal) def. Nathan Trouve (USC) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(3)
3. Timofey Stepanov (Cal) def. Jack McCarthy (USC) 6-2, 6-1
4. Max Exsted (USC) def. Andrea Meduri (Cal) 6-0, 6-3
5. Bernardo Munk Mesa (Cal) def. Niels Hoffman (USC) 6-3, 6-3
6. Andrin Casanova (USC) def. Lenn Luemkemann (Cal) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 (clinch)

Doubles

1. Casanova/McCarthy (USC) def. No. 55 Stepanov/Silva (Cal) 6-4 (clinch)
2. Meduri/Lechno Wasiutynski (Cal) vs. Church/Djuric (USC) - 6-6 (UF)
3. Exsted/Trouve (USC) def. Cattaneo/Aney (Cal) - 6-3

Order of Completion:
Singles: 1, 4, 3, 5, 2, 6
Doubles: 3, 1