PULLMAN, Wash. – Karla Popovic clinched No. 1 California's eventual 6-1 victory over No. 57 Washington State on Friday with temperatures in the 80s at the WSU Outdoor Courts. Soon after, freshman Olivia Hauger also won in singles, and the Golden Bears improved to 18-0 overall and 6-0 in the Pac-12.
The Cougars' record is now 17-7 (2-6 Pac-12).
“It was a good win,” Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. “Washington State competed well. They have some very talented players on their team.”
In doubles, Hauger and senior Klara Fabikova beat Lize Leenknecht and Trang Huynh, 6-2, on court two. Cal's other senior-freshman tandem – Lynn Chi and Maria Smith – likewise won 6-2, on court three against Maria Biryukova and Aneta Miksovska, to clinch the doubles point.
“I thought we did a better job starting quicker on all three courts in doubles today,” Augustus said. “We played more aggressive in the doubles today, so I think that helped us get ahead early. It was also a very warm day, but we handled the conditions well.”
Chi, ranked 58th in singles later doubled Cal's lead to 2-0 when she posted a 6-3, 6-2 win over Miksovska on court four. Ranked 10th, junior Maegan Manasse followed with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Biryukova on court one to make the score 3-0, before Popovic beat Victoria Matejevic, 6-3, 6-4, on court six to clinch for the Bears at 4-0.
On court five, the 105th-ranked Hauger bested Leenknecht , 6-2, 7-5, and then the 12th-ranked Fabikova lost in an upset to Donika Bashota, 6-7(4), 6-0, 1-0(9), on court two, to make the score 5-1.
Denise Starr, ranked 75th, won, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, over Huynh on court three in the last match of the day. The junior battled back from losing the second set and falling behind 5-2 in the third.
“In the second set I put myself in a small hole,” she said. “At the end of the third set I realized what worked, and I changed my game up a little bit more aggressive, got two games on no ad points, and the momentum changed for me. Being more aggressive really worked, and I kept that going all the way through.”
The Bears next play at No. 47 Washington on Saturday at 12 p.m. in Seattle.
No. 1 California (18-0, 6-0 Pac-12) defeated No. 57 Washington State (17-7, 2-6 Pac-12) – 6-1
April 8, 2016, in Pullman, Wash.
WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts
Doubles
1. No. 6 Maegan Manasse/Denise Starr (Cal) vs. Donika Bashota/Victoria Matejevic (WSU) – 4-2 Abandoned
2. Klara Fabikova/Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Lize Leenknecht/Trang Huynh (WSU) – 6-2
3. Lynn Chi/Maria Smith (Cal) def. Maria Biryukova/Aneta Miksovska (WSU) – 6-2
Cal won the doubles point
Order of Finish: 2, 3*
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles
1. No. 10 Maegan Manasse (Cal) def. Maria Biryukova (WSU) – 6-1, 6-4
2. Donika Bashota (WSU) def. No. 12 Klara Fabikova – 6-7(4), 6-0, 1-0(9)
3. No. 75 Denise Starr (Cal) def. Trang Huynh (WSU) – 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
4. No. 58 Lynn Chi (Cal) def. Aneta Miksovska (WSU) – 6-3, 6-2
5. No. 105 Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Lize Leenknecht (WSU) – 6-2, 7-5
6. Karla Popovic (Cal) def. Victoria Matejevic (WSU) – 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 6*, 5, 2, 3
*Clinched the overall match
