BERKELEY – Top-ranked California remained unbeaten as Denise Starr clinched an eventual 7-0 rout of No. 65 Utah on Friday under a sunny sky at the Hellman Tennis Complex. The Golden Bear - ranked 93rd nationally - defeated Sarah Richter, 6-2, 6-3, at court-three singles after earlier pairing with fellow junior Maegan Manasse to win in doubles.
Cal improved to a school-record 14-0 (3-0 in the Pac-12) - including 6-0 at home - after the Conference dual match, while Utah fell to 10-7 (1-4 Pac-12).
Starr and Manasse got the Bears off to a good start in doubles when they posted a 6-0 win over Margo Pletcher and Brianna Turley on court one. The Utah duo of Taylor Calton and Luisa Gerstner Da Rosa then beat Cal junior Stephane Lin and freshman Maria Smith, 6-2, on court three, leaving court two to decide the doubles point. Senior Klara Fabikova and freshman Olivia Hauger did just that, knocking off Richter and Alexia Petrovic, 6-3, to give Cal a 1-0 lead.
In singles, Fabikova – ranked 11th – just managed to complete her 6-1, 6-1 victory over Turley on court two before the seventh-ranked Manasse beat Pletcher, 6-1, 6-2, on court one. Starr soon followed to clinch the overall match for the Bears at 4-0.
Playing in singles for the first time in a college dual match, Smith also posted her first dual-match singles win with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Petrovic on court six. Sophomore Karla Popovic gave Cal a 6-0 lead with her 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Calton on court five.
Over on court four, Hauger battled back from losing her first set to Jena Cheng to win the second and – with the overall match already decided – force a super tiebreaker. Trailing most of the tiebreaker, the young Bear eventually edged Cheng, 4-6, 6-4, 1-0(10), to give Cal its 7-0 victory.
“It was a really strong performance from courts one through three in singles,” Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. “They really led the way today. They stayed very focused, and they played aggressive tennis. That allowed some of the younger players to work through their matches. That's the kind of leadership we want to see from our juniors and seniors.”
In doubles, “courts one and two did a good job,” Augustus added. “We had our opportunities on court three but didn't take advantage of them. I still think there are things to work on on all three courts. I'm glad we're getting the doubles points now, but I still think it's a process.”
Of Smith's first taste of dual-match singles action, Augustus said, “You never know when you're going to jump out for your first dual match. She's obviously been out there in doubles before, so she was ready for it. But I'm pleased to see her take advantage of the opportunity to put a point on the board in singles. I think she was very excited for the opportunity today. She hasn't been here long, but she's getting the hang of things and is working on things to be better each match. She hit the ball quite well in her match.”
The Bears host Colorado in another Pac-12 match on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Hellman.
No. 1 California (14-0, 3-0 Pac-12) defeated No. 65 Utah (10-7, 1-4 Pac-12) – 7-0
March 25, 2016, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
Doubles
1. No. 6 Maegan Manasse/Denise Starr (Cal) def. Margo Pletcher/Brianna Turley (Utah) – 6-0
2. Klara Fabikova/Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Sarah Richter/Alexia Petrovic (Utah) – 6-3
3. Taylor Calton/Luisa Gerstner Da Rosa (Utah) def. Stephane Lin/Maria Smith (Cal) – 6-2
Cal won the doubles point
Order of Finish – 1, 3, 2*
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles
1. No. 7 Maegan Manasse (Cal) def. Margo Pletcher (Utah) – 6-1, 6-2
2. No. 11 Klara Fabikova (Cal) def. Brianna Turley (Utah) – 6-1, 6-1
3. No. 93 Denise Starr (Cal) def. Sarah Richter (Utah) – 6-2, 6-3
4. No. 68 Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Jena Cheng (Utah) – 4-6, 6-4, 1-0(10)
5. Karla Popovic (Cal) def. Taylor Calton (Utah) – 6-4, 6-1
6. Maria Smith (Cal) def. Alexia Petrovic (Utah) – 6-3, 6-1
Order of Finish – 2, 1, 3*, 6, 5, 4
*Clinched the overall match
