With time running out to qualify for the NCAA Individual Championships, USC men’s tennis battled through the sweltering Arizona heat at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southwest Regional Championships but failed to secure any spots at the November tournament.

Although the Trojans gave it their all, Head Coach Brett Masi said the team can’t be satisfied with their performance because they need to focus on what’s still ahead and the final chances remaining to qualify for the championships.

“We’re not where we need to be,” Masi said. “We weren’t there on the last day, and that’s what we’re aiming to do every single time we’re out there.”

Graduate Jack McCarthy was USC’s top performer, advancing deep in a tournament that featured over 100 players. McCarthy fell short in the round of 16, where he lost 6-4, 6-1 to UCLA junior Spencer Johnson, who eventually advanced to the final.

“We’re trying to get the most, maximize the most out of him, and he was able to perform at a pretty high level,” Masi said of McCarthy. “There’s still some things that he needs to keep improving on — get stronger and get more durable.”

Sophomore Niels Hoffmann also produced standout results, including a victory over UC Santa Barbara senior Lucca Liu in the round of 64, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. He also defeated Arizona freshman Alejandro Arcila, 6-4, 6-2, in an exhibition match.

Hoffmann looks like a possible candidate to represent USC at the NCAA Championships, with notable efforts at multiple tournaments this season, including at the SoCal Intercollegiate Championships from Oct. 9 to 12, where he nearly went the distance before losing to University of San Diego graduate Stian Klaassen in the final.

“He beat a couple of really good players. He pushed himself outside of his comfort zone, and he played closer to the level and the style that we are aiming for,” Masi said of Hoffmann.

Sophomore Matteo Morazzi and freshman Pablo Robledo also gained valuable experience at the tournament. With 101 competitors at the event, Morazzi reached the round of 32 in both singles and doubles, partnering with McCarthy in the latter. Robledo endured round-of-64 exits in both events but bounced back with strong exhibition wins, including a victory over UCLA sophomore Andrei Crabel.

With the team season in the spring fast approaching and the squad competing nonstop until May, the Trojans will continue to focus on growth, consistency and longevity rather than sweating the small stuff, Masi said.

“They’re starting to buy more into the development aspect of things and not getting too focused on complete wins and losses,” Masi said. “We want them having success, but they also need to be doing it the right way, not just diverting to old habits and trying to just backdoor their way into wins.”

As the squad still looks to qualify players for the NCAA Individual Championships, USC will next compete in the Hagedorn Hidden Dual from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in San Diego, with potential sectional championship appearances to follow later in November.