Losing is never easy.

Losing to your biggest rival hurts even more.

But that was the reality the last time the Bruins faced the Trojans – suffering a narrow defeat at David X. Marks Stadium.

Now riding a three-game winning streak, the Bruins will face their crosstown rivals once again, bringing a chance for redemption.

UCLA men’s tennis (8-3, 2-0 Big Ten) will host No. 25 USC (10-3, 2-0 Big Ten) on Friday afternoon at the Los Angeles Tennis Center for another rivalry match-up – the second of the season and first in official conference play.

“I’m excited to play USC again,” said redshirt junior Emon van Loben Sels. “I hope we can take them out this time.”

Despite singles victories from van Loben Sels, junior Spencer Johnson and sophomore Rudy Quan, the Bruins ultimately fell to the Trojans 4-3 in their Feb. 21 affair.

And while UCLA carries a newfound win streak, USC holds one of its own, boasting six-straight wins heading into the match.

“I’m quite happy with where we’re at now, and look forward to playing the Trojans again at our place and hopefully redeeming the tough loss that we had over there,” said coach Billy Martin. “But they’re a good team. I don’t want to sit and think that we’re going to absolutely beat them just because it’s at home, but we’d love to have another crack at them.”

The Bruins didn’t escape their crosstown rivals at the 137th Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles championship, either.

The top-seeded duo of Johnson and senior Aadarsh Tripathi advanced to the final round against USC’s Branko Djuric and Andrin Casanova on March 1, but failed to clinch the trophy, losing 6-4, 6-4.

But with the rivalry’s near 100-year history, the Bruins have their fair share of victories.

The Bruins’ most recent rivalry win came last season, when they defeated the Trojans 4-2 on May 9 in the NCAA Super Regionals. The victory marked UCLA’s first Super Regional appearance in six years and punched its ticket to the NCAA quarterfinals in Waco, Texas – while also serving as the squad’s only win over USC that season.

Since their last match-up, UCLA swept its road-trip stretch against San Diego, Indiana and Purdue – a string of victories that reflect the squad’s ability to perform despite cross-country travel.

“We’re going from hotel to hotel and flying,” Martin said. “It makes you have to focus.”

As they prepare for another clash with the Trojans, the Bruins are leaning on the character they’ve built off the court this season.

“I think (a lesson learned is) just having confidence within myself and having trust within myself, as much as my teammates and my coaches have in me,” Tripathi said. “Having that within myself is something I’ll carry on for next week and for the rest of the year.”