No. 6 Cal Tops MSU 4-0 to Reach ITA Kick-Off Final
BERKELEY - Playing on Savides Sullivan Court at the Hellman Tennis Complex, Denise Starr wrapped up sixth-ranked California's 4-0 win over Michigan State with a convincing singles victory on Sunday in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Golden Bears - who open the dual-match season at 1-0 - play in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend final against No. 45 Saint Mary's on Monday at 1 p.m.
Starr defeated the Spartans’ Athena Trouillot, 6-4, 6-0, on court four, which is now named for Cal tennis alum and donor Stacy Savides Sullivan.
“It was pretty exciting,” Starr said of playing on the newly named courts. “It just felt like a brand new facility, and I got a surge of energy, so it was nice.”
Saint Mary's (1-0) beat No. 72 Fresno State (0-1), 4-0, on Sunday afternoon at Hellman. The Spartans (2-1) will play Fresno State in the consolation match at 10 a.m. on Monday.
The winner of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend advances to play in the ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship Feb. 6-9 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Cal won the doubles point against the Spartans when the fourth-ranked team of Starr and fellow sophomore Maegan Manasse beat Erin Faulkner/Athena Trouillot, 6-3, and then the ninth-ranked duo of junior Klara Fabikova and senior Zsofi Susanyi defeated Catherine Parenteau/Allie Baer, 6-2.
Cal senior Cecilia Estlander and freshman Stephane Lin didn’t get to complete their match – they led Lexi Baylis/Emily Meyers, 5-2, when their match was abandoned – but Cal head coach Amanda Augustus liked what she saw from her court-three doubles team.
“They did a good job today,” Augustus said. “We’ve got two very established teams on courts one and two, and on three, it’s a mix of a veteran of Cessi and a couple of new players. We’ll see what that looks like over the next couple of matches, but I thought they did a really good job today.”
Sunday’s match was the Cal women’s first action at Hellman since the completion of the renovations at the home of the Cal men’s and women’s tennis teams. The Cal tennis community and university officials celebrated the renovations – from the elevated seating, locker rooms, public restrooms, legacy wall and new signage to the newly named courts – with a grand reopening ceremony on Saturday after the conclusion of the men’s ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
“It was such a special day yesterday having donors, alums, fans, family and friends here,” said Augustus, who spoke at the ceremony along with Susanyi. “It’s been such a long time in the making. A lot of people contributed in a lot of different ways – whether it was construction, financially or just moral support – and I’m just really pleased. I think it came out beautifully, and it’s what the two teams deserve. I’m happy to have been a part of making Hellman better, and I’m excited at getting lots and lots of matches played on these courts for both teams.”
ITA Kick-Off Weekend
No. 6 Cal (1-0) defeated Michigan State (2-1) – 4-0
Jan. 25, 2015, in Berkeley, California
Hellman Tennis Complex
Doubles
1. No. 4 Maegan Manasse/Denise Starr (Cal) def. Erin Faulkner/Athena Trouillot (Michigan State) – 6-3
2. No. 9 Klara Fabikova/Zsofi Susanyi (Cal) def. Catherine Parenteau/Allie Baer (Michigan State) – 6-2
3. Cecilia Estlander/Stephane Lin (Cal) vs. Lexi Baylis/Emily Meyers (Michigan State) – Abandoned
Cal captured the doubles point.
Order of Finish: 1, 2*.
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles
1. No. 5 Maegan Manasse (Cal) def. Erin Faulkner (Michigan State) – 6-2, 6-0
2. No. 78 Klara Fabikova (Cal) vs. Aslina Chua (Michigan State) – Abandoned
3. No. 14 Zsofi Susanyi (Cal) vs. Lexi Baylis (Michigan State) – Abandoned
4. No. 64 Denise Starr (Cal) def. Athena Trouillot (Michigan State) – 6-4, 6-0
5. No. 30 Karla Popovic (Cal) def. Emily Meyers (Michigan State) – 6-1, 6-1
6. Cecilia Estlander (Cal) vs. Allie Baer (Michigan State) – Abandoned
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4^.
^Clinched the overall match