CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Fifth-ranked California booked a spot in Sunday's semifinals with a 4-1 victory over No. 20 TCU on Saturday in the ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship quarterfinal round. Senior Zsofi Susanyi clinched the match with her court-three singles victory over the Horned Frogs' Sofiko Kadzhaya at the Boar's Head Sports Club.
Cal improved to 4-0, while TCU's record is now 4-2.
“It was a good win,” Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. “We played much better in doubles today. That was good to see them after yesterday step it up and play better.
“TCU – not only do we not know them, their style is different than a lot of teams we play. They don't like to come to the net that much. In a lot of the courts especially in singles we had to compete hard and counteract their game style. It was a real good team effort and having another senior clinch the match was great.”
Senior Cecilia Estlander's singles win clinched Friday's round of 16 match over Vanderbilt.
“It's great to have both seniors in their last competitive semester taking advantage of every opportunity they get to play,” Augustus added. “They both love to play, so having them out there on the court competing hard for the team is such a great example for everyone on the team.”
Cal plays eighth-seeded Georgia on Sunday at noon ET on the main courts. The Bulldogs upset top-ranked UCLA, 4-2, in another Saturday quarterfinal.
In doubles, after Estlander and freshman Karla Popovic dropped a 6-3 result to Palina Dubavets/Alexis Pereira, the Bears won on the other two courts to secure the doubles point. The fourth-ranked pair of Maegan Manasse and Denise Starr edged Stefanie Tan/Seda Arantekin, 7-5, and then the ninth-ranked duo of Susanyi and junior Klara Fabikova beat Simona Parajova/Sofiko Kadzhaya, 6-4.
Fabikova faced Parajova again in singles, with the Horned Frog upsetting the 78th-ranked Bear, 6-3, 6-1, to tie the overall match at 1-1. But Cal didn't lose another set. Manasse, ranked fifth, stopped Tan, 6-3, 6-3, on court one, the 30th-ranked Popovic defeated Pereira, 7-5, 6-3, on court five and then Susanyi beat Kadzhaya, 6-3, 6-4, to wrap up the match.
“We're definitely pleased,” Susanyi said. “We got pushed in doubles and singles to a different level. Their doubles team played a style you don't really see, so it was great we pulled this match out because we know we can adjust, and it doesn't matter what other style another team is playing.”
ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship
Feb. 7, 2015, in Charlottesville, Va.
Boar's Head Sports Club
Quarterfinal Round
Doubles
1. No. 4 Maegan Manasse/Denise Starr (Cal) def. Stefanie Tan/Seda Arantekin (TCU) – 7-5
2. No. 9 Klara Fabikova/Zsofi Susanyi (Cal) def. Simona Parajova/Sofiko Kadzhaya (TCU) – 6-4
3. Palina Dubavets/Alexis Pereira (TCU) def. Cecilia Estlander/ Karla Popovic (Cal) – 6-3
Cal captured the doubles point
Oder of Finish: 3, 1, 2*.
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles
1. No. 5 Maegan Manasse (Cal) def. Stefanie Tan (TCU) – 6-3, 6-3
2. Simona Parajova (TCU) def. No. 78 Klara Fabikova (Cal) – 6-3, 6-1
3. No. 14 Zsofi Susanyi (Cal) def. Sofiko Kadzhaya (TCU) –6-3, 6-4
4. No. 64 Denise Starr (Cal) vs. Palina Dubavets (TCU) – Abandoned
5. No. 30 Karla Popovic (Cal) def. Alexis Pereira (TCU) – 7-5, 6-3
6. Cecilia Estlander (Cal) vs. Seda Arantekin (TCU) – Abandoned
Oder of Finish: 2, 1, 5, 3^
^Clinched the overall match
