No. 4 Bears Blank BYU In ITA Kickoff Weekend

BERKELEY – Haley Giavara led a dominant California women's tennis team on Friday in the ITA Kickoff Weekend, as the fourth-ranked Golden Bears shut out BYU, 4-0, at the Hellman Tennis Complex. Cal plays Vanderbilt on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the final of the four-team event.
 
Cal, which did not lose a set on Friday, improved its record to 3-0, while BYU fell to 1-4. The Cougars next play in Saturday's 10 a.m. consolation match against San Diego (1-1).
 
In doubles, the new Cal duo of Julia Rosenqvist and Erin Richardson quickly dispatched Emilee Astle and Kara Lin, 6-1, on court three. The veteran pair of Giavara and Valentina Ivanov followed with a 6-2 win over BYU's Leah Heimuli and Helen Jiao on court one to clinch the point. Another new Cal partnership – of freshmen Jessica Alsola and Katja Wiersholm – didn't complete its match before the Bears clinched. But the young duo looked good, leading BYU's Anastasia Abramyan and Yujia Huang, 4-3, when court two was abandoned.
 
Of the new doubles teams, Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said, "It's a good start. That was our first doubles-point win. Getting the doubles point makes a big difference. Hopefully we can do that again tomorrow."
 
Hannah Viller Moeller gave Cal a 2-0 lead when she defeated Madison Smith, 6-0, 6-1, at court-six singles, and then Alsola added to the lead with a 6-0, 6-2 triumph over Abramyan on court three. Giavara wrapped up the win with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Heimuli on court one.
 
"We did a good job in singles," Augustus said. "Haley closed out really strong to get the clinch. I was pleased. Julia did a really good job of pulling out her first set. The match wasn't too long, so hopefully we'll be well-rested for tomorrow.
 
In the second match of the day at Hellman, Vanderbilt (3-0) beat San Diego, 4-1. Marcella Cruz clinched the result, beating USD's Claudia De Las Heras, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, at court-five singles.
 
The winner of Saturday's match between Cal and Vanderbilt advances to the ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship, slated for Feb. 11-14 in Madison, Wisconsin.
 
ITA Kickoff Weekend
 
No. 4 California (3-0) defeated BYU (1-4), 4-0
Jan. 28, 2022, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Doubles
1. Haley Giavara/Valentina Ivanov (Cal) def. Leah Heimuli/Helen Jiao (BYU), 6-2*
2. Jessica Alsola/Katja Wiersholm (Cal) vs. Anastasia Abramyan/Yujia Huang (BYU), 4-3 (Unfinished)
3. Erin Richardson/Julia Rosenqvist (Cal) def. Emilee Astle/Kara Lin (BYU), 6-1
 
Order of Finish – 3, 1*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. Haley Giavara (Cal) def. Leah Heimuli (BYU), 6-4, 6-4^
2. Valentina Ivanov (Cal) vs. Jacque Dunyon (BYU), 6-2, 5-3 (Unfinished)
3. Jessica Alsola (Cal) def. Anastasia Abramyan (BYU), 6-0, 6-2
4. Julia Rosenqvist (Cal) vs. Yujia Huang (BYU), 6-4, 1-3 (Unfinished)
5. Katja Wiersholm (Cal) vs. Helen Jiao (BYU), 6-3, 4-3 (Unfinished)
6. Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal) def. Madison Smith (BYU), 6-0, 6-1
 
Order of Finish – 6, 3, 1^
^Clinched the overall match
 
 
Vanderbilt (3-0) defeated San Diego (1-1), 4-1
Jan. 28, 2022, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Doubles
1. Solymar Colling/Elizabeth Goldsmith (USD) def. Anna Ross/Holly Staff (Vanderbilt), 6-3
2. Marcella Cruz/Yufei Long (Vanderbilt) def. Abigail Desiatnikov/Jordyn McBride (USD), 6-3*
3. Anessa Lee/Dasha Kourkina (Vanderbilt) def. Claudia De Las Heras/Victoria Kalaitzis (USD), 6-0
 
Order of Finish – 3, 1, 2*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. Anna Ross (Vanderbilt) def. No. 44 Solymar Colling (USD), 7-6(3), 6-4
2. No. 112 Anessa Lee (Vanderbilt) def. No. 62 Abigail Desiatnikov (USD), 6-3, 6-2
3. Jordyn McBride (USD) vs. Yufei Long (Vanderbilt), 4-6, 6-0, 4-3 (Unfinished)
4. Elizabeth Goldsmith (USD) def. No. 119 Holly Staff (Vanderbilt), 6-1, 6-2
5. No. 96 Marcella Cruz (Vanderbilt) def. Claudia De Las Heras (USD), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3^
6. Victoria Kalaitzis (USD) vs. Dasha Kourkina (Vanderbilt), 6-0, 6-7(4), 1-0 (Unfinished)
 
Order of Finish – 4, 2, 1, 5^
^Clinched the overall match