No. 16 Cal Opens L.A. Trip With 4-3 Win At No. 32 USC

LOS ANGELES – Hannah Viller Moeller clinched her fourth victory of the season, as the 16th-ranked California women's tennis team defeated No. 32 USC, 4-3, on Friday at Marks Stadium. The freshman beat the Trojans' Summer Dvorak, 6-4, 6-0, to secure another Pac-12 Conference win for the Golden Bears. The Dane also paired with Cal senior Anna Bright to clinch Friday's doubles point.
 
With the win, Cal improved its record to 14-4 overall and 7-1 in the Pac-12. USC has an 11-7 record (5-3 Pac-12).
 
After the teams split the first two doubles matches – including Cal's Haley Giavara and Valentina Ivanov winning on court one – Bright and Viller Moeller held off Salma Ewing and Clare McKee, 7-6(5), on court two to give Cal a 1-0 lead.
 
"The doubles point was very important," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. "We're getting better each week in the doubles. We had a good win on court one, and seeing Anna and Hannah close that tiebreak out was really good. That's what I'm most pleased with the team today, and that helped us going into the singles."
 
Later tied 1-1 in singles, Cal retook the lead when Valentina Ivanov prevailed over the 69th-ranked Naomi Cheong, who retired with an injury after two sets. Cal led 2-1. Bright increased the lead to 3-1 when she bested Constance Branstine, 6-2, 6-2, on court six, before Viller Moeller won in straight sets to give Cal the victory with a 4-1 lead. The Trojans won the last two matches to complete the match.
 
In her first year as a Bear, Viller Moeller has a 13-4 record, which is Cal's second-best singles record behind her doubles partner, Bright, who is 14-2.
 
"Hannah's been doing a tremendous job," Augustus said. "She focuses really well and works really hard for every point she plays. I'm really proud of what she's been able to do so far in her very young career at Cal."
 
Augustus added, "It's great to get a road win in the conference. We're still working hard to try to win a conference title as well as a national title – that's what our program is about. They did a really good job today, and we're grateful we can get up and do it again tomorrow.
 
"We've played UCLA twice, and we're excited to play them again and see how much we've improved since the last time."
 
Cal – which split two prior meetings with UCLA this year – plays the seventh-ranked Bruins at 12 p.m. on Saturday at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
 
No. 16 California (14-4, 7-1 Pac-12) defeated No. 32 USC (11-7, 5-3 Pac-12), 4-3
April 9, 2021, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Marks Stadium
 
Doubles
1. Haley Giavara/Valentina Ivanov (Cal) def. Eryn Cayetano/Angela Kulikov (SC), 6-4
2. Anna Bright/Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal) def. Salma Ewing/Clare McKee (SC), 7-6(5)*
3. Naomi Cheong/Summer Dvorak (SC) def. Jada Bui/Julia Rosenqvist (Cal), 6-3
 
Order of Finish – 3, 1, 2*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. Salma Ewing (USC) def. No. 41 Haley Giavara (Cal), 6-2, 6-0
2. No. 123 Eryn Cayetano (USC) def. Julia Rosenqvist (Cal), 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. Valentina Ivanov (Cal) def. No. 69 Naomi Cheong (USC) 3-6, 6-1 ret. (inj.)
4. Danielle Willson (USC) def. Jada Bui (Cal), 4-6, 6-2, 1-0(5)
5. Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal) def. Summer Dvorak (USC) 6-4, 6-0^
6. Anna Bright (Cal) def. Constance Branstine (USC) 6-2, 6-2
 
Order of Finish – 1, 3, 6, 5^, 4, 2
^Clinched the overall match