Maybe the best thing to do after getting swept is to do the sweeping.

After No. 3 Ohio State (20-2, 9-0 Big Ten) swept it 4-0 on Friday at Ty Tucker Tennis Center in Columbus, Ohio, UCLA men’s tennis (9-8, 7-2) passed along the favor in a 4-0 sweep of Penn State (12-11, 0-9) at the Sarni Tennis Center in State College, Pennsylvania, on Sunday morning.

“The mindset is just keep trying to win as many matches as we can because we’re getting closer and closer to NCAAs, which is our final goal,” said junior Gianluca Ballotta.

After coming up short 4-3 to the Trojans on April 1, the Bruins’ loss to the Buckeyes cemented the team’s first losing streak since losing four in a row between Feb. 1 and Feb. 22 and their first-ever losing streak in Big Ten play.

In Columbus, UCLA dropped the doubles point for the first time since Feb. 22, with Ballotta and redshirt sophomore Emon van Loben Sels losing their first match as a tandem in 2025.

The Bruins’ seniors were the first to fall in singles, with Alexander Hoogmartens losing 6-1, 6-3 to No. 89 Jack Anthrop and Giacomo Revelli following suit with a 6-0, 7-6(5) loss to Brandon Carpico. Freshman Kaylan Bigun fell to Will Jansen 6-3, 7-6(7) to end UCLA’s afternoon in Ty Tucker Tennis Center.

But the Bruins were undeterred heading to the Northeast for the first time since ITA Kickoff Weekend late January.

“We knew they’re (USC and Ohio State are) very good,” Ballotta said. “It’s not like we lost hope in ourselves.”

After facing Big Ten table topper Ohio State – which has yet to lose a conference match this season – UCLA battled Penn State, which has yet to win a Big Ten bout.

The Bruins secured the doubles point with set wins from their senior tandem of Hoogmartens and Revelli before Ballotta and van Loben Sels returned to the win column themselves for their seventh win in eight matches during the dual-match season.

Ballotta said that the two, who were roommates and are good friends, have developed strong chemistry as a doubles pair. They played two matches as partners in an ITA Sectional Championship in the fall and were paired up again just before Big Ten play began.

After Hoogmartens defeated Reiya Hattori 6-2, 6-3, No. 34 freshman Rudy Quan put Charl Morgan away 6-3, 6-3 on court one to put UCLA up 3-0.

“I thought that it was probably as good a match as I’ve seen Rudy play from start to finish,” said coach Billy Martin.

Bigun notched his first singles win since March 29 with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Marcus Schoeman and was inserted back into the doubles lineup for the first time since March 9, but his match alongside Quan went unfinished 6-6.

Though No. 84 van Loben Sels’ singles match went unfinished, Martin said he has been impressed with the redshirt sophomore’s overall performance as of late.

“There’s no doubt he’s playing great tennis,” Martin said. “Probably the best tennis I’ve seen him play in these three years that he’s been with us.”

The Bruins were again without No. 19 Spencer Johnson, who has been out with an injury for over two months, against the Nittany Lions.

Though Martin said there’s a chance the sophomore returns later in the conference slate or in the postseason, he added that the Bruins can’t rely on Johnson’s return.

“It doesn’t help to have him out of the lineup, but we’re still very competitive,” Martin said.