SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Feb. 1, 2026) – The University of South Florida Men's Tennis team competed across the lineup on Sunday afternoon, but fell 2–5 to UC Santa Barbara at the Arnhold Tennis Center.
Doubles play opened with competitive action on all three courts. Hugo Car and James Newton were locked in a close contest at the No. 1 position before the match was left unfinished, while the doubles point was ultimately decided on courts two and three in favor of the Gauchos.
In singles play, several tightly contested matches highlighted the afternoon. At No. 1 singles, No. 28 Hugo Car faced No. 70 Lucca Liu, with Liu earning a 6–2, 6–1 victory. At the No. 2 position, Elijah Cham battled back after dropping the opening set, taking the second to force a deciding third set before Rolland secured the win for UC Santa Barbara.
South Florida earned its two points at the bottom of the lineup. Stepan Mruzek posted a 6–2, 7–5 victory at No. 5 singles, while Gughi Verdese followed with a straight-set win at the No. 6 position. Matches in the middle of the lineup featured extended rallies and long games, as Ettore Danesi and Agustin Cuellar each battled through competitive contests.
The Bulls will look to bounce back this week as they travel to take on Pepperdine on Tuesday, February 3rd.
Match Results vs. UCSB
Doubles
UCSB Liu/Avendano def. USF Mroz/Danesi, 6–2
UCSB Morais/Brunkow def. USF Mruzek/Gaillard, 6–1
USF Car/Newton vs. UCSB Rolland/Brown, unfinished (4–5)
Singles
UCSB Liu def. USF Car, 6–2, 6–1
UCSB Rolland def. USF Cham, 6–0, 3–6, 6–1
UCSB Avendano def. USF Cuellar, 6–1, 6–2
UCSB Morais def. USF Danesi, 6–3, 6–4
USF Mruzek def. USF Underwood, 6–2, 7–5
USF Verdese def. UCSB Brown, 6–3, 6–2
About USF Men's Tennis
Be sure to follow USF men's tennis on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
Head coach Ashley Fisher is in his ninth year at the helm of the program for the 2025-26 season. Fischer has guided the Bulls to four NCAA Tournaments, including three trips to the second round. He was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2017 & 2019 after leading USF to the conference title in each of those seasons.
– #Go Bulls –
