SANTA CLARA, Calif. – No. 44 Santa Clara men's tennis claimed a share of the West Coast Conference regular season championship for the first time in program history defeating No. 16 San Diego 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at the raucous Degheri Tennis Center. The Broncos won four of the five singles matches punctuated by Luca Lemaitre's three-set match clincher on court two.
Santa Clara's previous best finish in the WCC was a second place finish, done six times with the most recent occurrence in 2025. However, they were able to stake claim to the league co-championship against powerhouse San Diego who has won at least a share of the WCC regular season championship for five straights seasons including this year.
The Broncos along with San Diego and Pepperdine finished the regular season with identical 6-1 records in league play. The WCC Tournament seedings will be determined by next week's ITA rankings.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Santa Clara (19-3, 6-1 WCC) dropped the doubles point but won the first two singles matches to take a 2-1 lead on the team scoreboard. The Toreros picked up the next singles match to level things at 2-all before the Broncos won the last two singles matches to close things out.
- San Diego (18-5, 6-1 WCC) claimed the doubles point winning on courts one and two by the same score of 6-3. Oliver Tarvet and Stian Klaassen secured the point over Tiago Boschmans and Lemaitre on court two. However, Lemaitre would have his revenge later in singles.
- In singles action, each team won the first set in three of the matches. Valentin Faure was the first to finish, defeating Neo Niedner in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 on court five to level the match at 1-all on the team scoreboard.
- Ferran Redza followed suit beating Luc Wieland 6-1, 6-4 on court six but the Toreros answered with a win on court four when Lambert Ruland took down Lukas Maskow 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 to make the match all squared at 2-all.
- With Alexander Watanabe Eriksson and No. 19 Oliver Tarvet battling and splitting the first two sets atop the singles lineup, John Kim came through defeating No. 80 Manvydas Balciunas in three sets 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-4 on court three to give the Broncos a 3-2 advantage.
- Tarvet held a slight advantage over Watanabe Eriksson in the third set up, 3-2, when Lemaitre secured the victory past Klaassen 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 as his teammates mobbed him in front of the home crowd. The victory was Lemaitre's eighth straight in singles.
- It was Santa Clara's first win over San Diego since 2018, snapping an eight match losing streak.
HIGHLIGHTS:
POST-MATCH INTERVIEW:
RESULTS:
#44 Santa Clara 4, #16 San Diego 2
4/18/2026 at Santa Clara, Calif. (Degheri Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Alexander W Eriksson (SCUMTEN) vs. #19 Oliver Tarvet (USD-M) 5-7, 6-3, 2-3, unfinished
2.
Luca Lemaitre (SCUMTEN) def. Stian Klaassen (USD-M) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
3.
John Kim (SCUMTEN) def. #80 Manvydas Balciunas (USD-M) 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-4
4. Lambert Ruland (USD-M) def.
Lukas Maskow (SCUMTEN) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
5.
Valentin Faure (SCUMTEN) def. Neo Niedner (USD-M) 6-4, 6-3
6.
Ferran Redza (SCUMTEN) def. Luc Wieland (USD-M) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. #27 Adrien Berrut/Lambert Ruland (USD-M) def. #64
Luca Bluett/
John Kim (SCUMTEN) 6-3
2. Stian Klaassen/Oliver Tarvet (USD-M) def.
Tiago Boschmans/
Luca Lemaitre (SCUMTEN) 6-3
3.
Valentin Faure/
Ferran Redza (SCUMTEN) vs. Manvydas Balciunas/Luc Wieland (USD-M) 3-4, unfinished
Match Notes
San Diego 18-5, 6-1 WCC; National ranking #16
Santa Clara 19-3, 6-1 WCC; National ranking #44
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (5,6,4,3,2)
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