Seed Tritons Set for Postseason Rematch

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Nearly a year to the day after Cal Poly’s elimination from the 2025 Big West Championship at the hands of UC San Diego, the No. 72 Mustangs, slotted as the three-seed, will seek to reverse the outcome this season against the six-seed Tritons.

The rematch is set for Thursday, April 23, at 1:00 p.m. at Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif.

Cal Poly arrives riding the momentum of one of the most thrilling home matches in recent memory. Under the lights on Senior Night, with a packed crowd roaring, the Mustangs upset No. 35 UC Santa Barbara to claim a share of the Big West regular season title. It marked the program’s 17th overall championship and its first since 2022.

The Gauchos came in riding a 22-match Big West regular season winning streak—a run stretching back to their last non-postseason conference loss in 2023. Cal Poly didn’t just snap that streak. They ended their rival’s nine-match overall winning streak and secured their first Blue-Green rivalry victory since 2021.

Fourth-year Mustang Aaron Eliscu delivered perhaps the finest performance of his collegiate career, upsetting No. 57 Dominique Rolland and halting Rolland’s eight-match unbeaten run to level the overall score. For helping pave the path to victory and toppling a highly ranked opponent, Eliscu was named Big West Men’s Tennis Player of the Week on Tuesday.

Now ranked again in the ITA polls after that statement win over UCSB, the No. 72 Mustangs (14-8, 5-1 Big West) enter the Big West Championship as the three-seed. Their first test: six-seed UC San Diego, which opened the tournament Wednesday with a clean 4-0 sweep of seven-seed UC Riverside.

Rewind to April 4. Cal Poly had opened conference play with a third straight Big West victory, taking down UC San Diego 4-1 at the Ronca Tennis Center. Jovan Lubbe, playing at No. 1 singles, clinched the win in straight sets.

If the Mustangs get past UCSD again, No. 2 seed UC Irvine will be waiting in the Big West Men’s Tennis Championship Semifinals on Friday, April 24, at 1:00 p.m. The championship final is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, at 10:00 a.m.

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