SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Facing a hostile road environment in a top-25 battle, 9^th-ranked San Diego men's tennis pulled through for a 4-2 victory over UC Santa Barbara Saturday afternoon.
 
The Toreros' (7-2) fourth ranked win of the season – second away from home – was won in the moments that could have gone either way, in front of a large home crowd no less.
 
That started with doubles, as USD dropped the first match, but pulled away in the second and third with narrow 6-4 victories to claim the dual's first point.
 
Moving on to singles play, the Gauchos bounced back and took their first lead of the day with wins on courts three and two.
 
That didn't phase San Diego, who answered right back on courts six and four. First, senior Neo Niedner claimed a straight set 6-4, 6-4 victory. Then, it was 98^th-ranked redshirt-senior Stian Klaassen who powered to a 7-5, 6-1 win.
 
In the remaining matches on courts one and five, the Gauchos were serving for matches at 5-4 in the third set on both. For San Diego sophomore Adrien Berrut, the Swissman faced three match points but battled back at 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to clinch the dual win for the Toreros.
 
Up Next
The Toreros return to the Hogan Tennis Center for their first home match in three weeks to host a ranked UCLA side on Thursday, Feb. 26, at noon.
 
Results
#9 San Diego 4, #20 UC Santa Barbara 2
 
Singles
1. #107 Lucca Liu (UCSB-M) vs. #32 Oliver Tarvet (USD-M) 7-6 (7-4), 5-6, unfinished
2. #34 Dominique Rolland (UCSB-M) def. Vincent Marysko (USD-M) 6-4, 6-4
3. Diogo Morais (UCSB-M) def. #83 Manvydas Balciunas (USD-M) 7-5, 6-0
4. #98 Stian Klaassen (USD-M) def. Miguel Avendano (UCSB-M) 7-5, 6-1
5. Adrien Berrut (USD-M) def. Charlie Underwood (UCSB-M) 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
6. Neo Niedner (USD-M) def. Conrad Brown (UCSB-M) 6-4, 6-4
 
Doubles
1. #84 Miguel Avendano/Lucca Liu (UCSB-M) def. #15 Adrien Berrut/Lambert Ruland (USD-M) 6-2
2. Stian Klaassen/Manvydas Balciunas (USD-M) def. Conrad Brown/Dominique Rolland (UCSB-M) 6-4
3. Vincent Marysko/Oliver Tarvet (USD-M) def. Diogo Morais/Lorenzo Brunkow (UCSB-M) 6-4
 
Match Notes:
San Diego 7-2; National ranking #9
UC Santa Barbara 6-4; National ranking #20
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,2,6,4,5)