Cal Duo Ends Fall At Nationals

SAN DIEGO – The California women's tennis pair of Erin Richardson and Jessica Alsola fell to Pepperdine's Victoria Flores and Lisa Zaar on Friday to end the Golden Bears' run at the ITA National Fall Championships. The fifth-seeded Waves beat the Bears, 6-4, 6-2, in the doubles round of 16.
 
The Bears were impressive in reaching fall nationals after playing in just one tournament – the ITA Northwest Regional Championships – together in doubles. And they showed some grit in coming back from a set down in their first-round match in San Diego to beat Florida's Carly Briggs and Marlee Zein, 0-6, 6-4, 10-7, on Thursday.
 
"They did a great job," said Amanda Augustus, Cal's Interim Director of Tennis. "This was a new pairing, and it was a first national event for Erin and for Jessica after having played just one tournament together. They pulled out a tough win yesterday against a good Florida team.
 
"Today the match was quite close, and I thought we went for our shots. I was proud of how active they were at the net. We walk away from this with a few things to work on, but I'm proud of the aggressive style they played. Their playing styles match up really well, and I think they did a fantastic job representing our team at the national championships, especially with Jessica being a freshman."
 
The result closed the fall half of the season for Alsola and Richardson, while their teammates began play in another tournament on Friday.
 
TEMPE, Ariz. – Cal's split squad opened the ASU Thunderbird Invitational on Friday, with Bears posting wins in singles and doubles at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
 
In doubles, the Cal team of sophomore Jada Bui and freshman Makenna Thiel defeated Michigan's Anca Craciun and Lanie Van Lange, 6-2, though the duo of junior Valentina Ivanov and sophomore Hannah Viller Moeller lost to Arizona State's Sedona Gallagher and Giulia Morlet, 6-3.
 
Viller Moeller defeated Michigan's Julia Fliegner, 6-2, 6-0, in the singles draw. But Bui lost to Michigan's 122nd-ranked Jaedan Brown, 6-0, 6-3, Ivanov fell to the Wolverines' Andrea Cerdan, 6-4, 6-2, and Thiel dropped a 6-2, 7-5 result to Michigan's Nicole Hammond.
 
The annual Sun Devil tournament runs through Sunday.
 
 
ITA National Fall Championships
Nov. 5, 2021, in San Diego, Calif.
Barnes Tennis Center

Cal Results
 
Doubles Main Draw Round of 16
Victoria Flores/Lisa Zaar (Pepperdine) def. Jessica Alsola/Erin Richardson (Cal), 6-4, 6-2
 
 
ASU Thunderbird Invitational
Nov. 5, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz.
Whiteman Tennis Center
 
Cal Results
 
Singles
No. 122 Jaedan Brown (Michigan) def. Jada Bui (Cal) 6-0, 6-3 
Andrea Cerdan (Michigan) def. Valentina Ivanov (Cal) 6-4, 6-2
Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal) def. Julia Fliegner (Michigan) 6-2, 6-0
Nicole Hammond (Michigan) def. Makenna Thiel (Cal) 6-2, 7-5
 
Doubles
Sedona Gallagher/Giulia Morlet (ASU) def. Valentina Ivanov/Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal) 6-3
Jada Bui/Makenna Thiel (Cal) def. Anca Craciun/Lanie Van Linge (Michigan) 6-2