BERKELEY – Eighth-ranked California rolled to a 4-0 victory over Xavier in the opener of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend on Sunday at the Hellman Tennis Complex. The Golden Bears move on to play Missouri in Monday's final, as the Tigers beat Old Dominion, 4-1, later on Sunday at Hellman.
 
Sophomore Olivia Hauger clinched Cal's victory with a 6-1, 6-1 singles result against the Musketeers' Rachael Reichenbach on court four.
 
"It was good to get back out in our first team match at Hellman against an unfamiliar opponent," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. "They were a nice team that competed pretty hard, so that was good for us. We got a little test. Obviously in the format of this tournament, we don't get to complete our matches. But I think everyone was able to get enough tennis in and get a feel for things before we get ready for tomorrow."
 
The Bears quickly captured the doubles point. On court three, freshman Alexis Nelson and senior Denise Starr blanked Reichenbach and Lauren Fitz-Randolph, 6-0, before Cal clinched on court one. That match featured Maya Jansen and Maegan Manasse topping Cristina Di Lorenzo and Lauren Ghidotti, 6-2. Court one finished just before court two did. The 38th-ranked pair of Hauger and Karla Popovic led Sophia Abelson and Sydney Liggins 5-0 on court two when Manasse and Jansen clinched, and court two ended seconds later in a 6-0 Cal win. 
 
Jansen, the two-time NCAA doubles champion, was also strong in singles, as she knocked off Xavier's Vanina Iordanova, 6-2, 6-0, to give Cal a 2-0 lead. The 17th-ranked Popovic was arguably more dominant on court two, as she beat Di Lorenzo, 6-0, 6-0, before Hauger settled matters on court four.
 
This marked the first time Popovic played at court two singles in a dual match for Cal, as the ITA Northwest Regional singles champion moved up in the lineup based on her stellar play this season. The junior has compiled a 23-1 singles record in 2016-17.
 
"She's in a new position this year, but she's earned it, and I think we'll continue to see her improve as the season goes on," Augustus said.
 
"It doesn't matter what court I'm playing on," Popovic said. "I just think about what I have to do on the court."
 
Cal and Missouri will play in the final at 1 p.m. on Monday at Hellman, after Xavier takes on ODU in the 10 a.m. consolation match. The winner of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend will advance to the ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship next month in New Haven, Connecticut.
 
ITA Kick-Off Weekend
Jan. 29, 2017, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
No. 8 California (1-0) defeated Xavier (0-2), 4-0
 
Doubles
1. Maya Jansen/Maegan Manasse (Cal) def. Cristina Di Lorenzo/Lauren Ghidotti (XU), 6-2
2. No. 38 Olivia Hauger/Karla Popovic (Cal) def. Sophia Abelson/Sydney Liggins (XU), 6-0
3. Alexis Nelson/Denise Starr (Cal) def. Rachael Reichenbach/Lauren Fitz-Randolph (XU), 6-0
 
Cal won the doubles point
 
Order of Finish: 3, 1*, 2
 
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. Sydney Liggins (XU) vs. tNo. 49 Maegan Manasse (Cal), 6-2, 2-3 Abandoned
2. No. 17 Karla Popovic (Cal) def. Cristina Di Lorenzo (XU), 6-0, 6-0
3. Denise Starr (Cal) vs. Lauren Ghidotti (XU), 6-4, 3-2 Abandoned
4. Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Rachael Reichenbach (XU), 6-1, 6-1
5. Maya Jansen (Cal) def. Vanina Iordanova (XU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Maria Smith (Cal) vs. Lauren Fitz-Randolph (XU), 6-3, 0-3 Abandoned
 
Order of Finish: 5, 2, 4^
 
^Clinched the overall match
 
 
ITA Kick-Off Weekend
Jan. 29, 2017, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Missouri (1-0) defeated Old Dominion (1-1), 4-1
 
Doubles
1. Amina Ismail/Brianna Lashway (Missouri) vs. Natalya Malenko/Nataliia Vlasova (ODU), 5-4 Abandoned
2. Clare Raley/Bea Machado Santos (Missouri) def. Ingrid Vojcinakova/Adriana Rajkovic (ODU), 6-3
3. Tate Shroeder/Cassidy Spearman (Missouri) def. Borislova Botusharova/Marijana Novakovic (ODU), 7-5
 
Missouri won the doubles point
 
Order of Finish: 2, 3*
 
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. Borislova Botusharova (ODU) def. Bea Machado Santos (Missouri), 6-4, 6-1
2. Ingrid Vojcinakova (ODU) vs. Brianna Lashway (Missouri), 6-1, 4-3 Abandoned
3. Nataliia Vlashova (ODU) vs. Cassidy Spearman (Missouri), 7-6(6), 1-0 Abandoned
4. Tate Schroeder (Missouri) def. Eliska Petrackova (ODU), 6-1, 6-2
5. Amina Ismail (Missouri) def. Adriana Rajkovic (ODU), 6-2, 6-2
6. Clare Raley (Missouri) vs. Natalya Malenko (ODU), 6-1, 6-2
 
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 1, 4^
 
^Clinched the overall match