No. 4 Cal Suffers First Loss At No. 20 Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – In its first indoor dual match of the season, the fourth-ranked California women's tennis team suffered its first loss in a 5-2 result at No. 20 Michigan on Tuesday at the Varsity Tennis Center.
 
Cal's record sits at 4-1. Michigan improved to 4-2.
 
Also on Tuesday, Cal learned that it earned the No. 4 seed at the ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship and would play eighth-ranked Texas A&M in the first round. The Golden Bears-Aggies contest is scheduled for Friday at 3:30 p.m. CST in Madison, Wisconsin. The national tournament ends on Feb. 14.
 
"We adjusted well in doubles, but we didn't make enough adjustments soon enough in singles," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said after the Michigan match. "It's been a while since we played an indoor dual match. That was the goal of playing this match. Michigan is a very good team indoors and especially at their place. It was a good match for us to play and will really help us prepare for later this week. We're excited for the opportunity to win a national championship at ITA indoors."
 
The Bears took a 1-0 lead over the Wolverines when they captured the doubles point. After a court-one loss, Cal's Erin Richardson and Julia Rosenqvist defeated Kari Miller and Julia Fliegner, 7-6(5), on court three. In another close contest on court two, Cal freshmen Jessica Alsola and Katja Wiersholm clinched the point with a 7-6(2) win over Anca Craciun and Nicole Hammond.
 
Cal increased its lead to 2-0 over Michigan when Wiersholm posted a quick victory over Gala Mesochoritou at court-five singles. On match point, Wiersholm hit a wicked backhand that Mesochoritou returned long to wrap up a 6-0, 6-1 win.
 
But the Bears fell in straight-set defeats on courts four, three and six to give the Wolverines a 3-2 lead. Michigan clinched the overall win at 4-2 when the 17th-ranked Miller beat Cal junior Haley Giavara, 6-7(2), 6-0, 6-1 on court one. Cal's 108th-ranked Valentina Ivanov then lost to the 120th-ranked Hammond on court two, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, to end the match.
 
"They had the upper hand in being an indoor team," Rosenqvist said. "They were being aggressive and took it to us. We just need to make some adjustments in how we play compared to outdoors."
 
Of playing in her first national indoor tournament later this week, Rosenqvist said, "I'm really, really excited, because I know we have an amazing team. We just need to clean up some details. It was frustrating today, but I'm super excited for ITA indoors."
 
No. 20 Michigan (4-2) defeated No. 4 California (4-1), 5-2
Feb. 8, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Varsity Tennis Center
 
Doubles
1. Jaedan Brown/Andrea Cerdan (UM) def. Haley Giavara/Valentina Ivanov (Cal), 6-2
2. Jessica Alsola/Katja Wiersholm (Cal) def. Anca Craciun/Nicole Hammond (UM), 7-6(2)*
3. Erin Richardson/Julia Rosenqvist (Cal) def. Kari Miller/Julia Fliegner (UM), 7-6(5)
 
Order of Finish – 1, 3, 2*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. No. 17 Kari Miller (UM) def. Haley Giavara (Cal), 6-7(2), 6-0, 6-1^
2. No. 120 Nicole Hammond (UM) def. No. 108 Valentina Ivanov (Cal), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
3. Jaedan Brown (UM) def. No. 110 Jessica Alsola (Cal), 6-3, 6-3
4. Andrea Cerdan (UM) def. Julia Rosenqvist (Cal), 6-2, 6-3
5. Katja Wiersholm (Cal) def. Gala Mesochoritou (UM), 6-0, 6-1
6. No 99 Julia Fliegner (UM) def. Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal), 7-5, 6-4
 
Order of Finish – 5, 4, 3, 6, 1^, 2
^Clinched the overall match