BERKELEY - Olivia Hauger clinched yet another match as California defeated Arizona, 6-1, on Friday afternoon at the Hellman Tennis Complex. The Cal sophomore (who's done it 5 times) and teammate Maya Jansen (3) are the only Golden Bears to clinch Cal dual-match victories this season.

Sixth/12th-ranked Cal improved its record to 8-3 (2-1 in the Pac-12). Arizona is now 9-5 (1-2 Pac-12).

With Maria Smith leading Arizona's Sophia Thomas, 6-4, 5-1, and about to finish her match on court six, the 96th-ranked Hauger led Marie Van Aelst, 6-1, 5-1, on court four. Hauger finished just before her fellow sophomore did, winning 6-1, 6-1, to give Cal a 4-0 lead and clinch the team victory. The teams completed the last three matches to produce the 6-1 final score, which included Smith's eventual 6-4, 6-1 win on six.

"I actually didn't know that Maya and I were the only two to clinch," Hauger said. "It's a good feeling to get that final win for the team and then support the rest of the Bears still on the court. You try not to think about it when you're playing; you just focus on your game and try to close it out. But it's a really good feeling."
 
In doubles, the Bears clinched the point when senior Stephane Lin and freshman Alexis Nelson beat Wildcats Thomas and Maggie Cohen, 6-1, on court three. Earlier, the new pair of Smith and Hauger knocked off Van Aelst and Camila Wesbrooks, 6-0, on court two.
 
"Today was the first day that Maria and I played together," Hauger said. "We had really good energy together. I think it shows we all can play with anyone on the court, and we're all really good doubles partners. We had a good match today."
 
Jansen and Denise Starr, ranked 65th, played for only the third time this season, though their court-one match against Lauren Marker and Paris Corley was abandoned, with the Bears leading 5-2, once Cal clinched the doubles point. Nelson and Lin also played for just the third time together this year.
 
"We were glad to get back out on the courts," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. "The girls were really looking forward to playing this weekend. The weather was fantastic. We mixed around a few doubles combinations today just to get a look at them. I'm always telling everyone that good doubles players should be able to play with anybody."
 
Senior Maegan Manasse, ranked 45th, played a singles match for the first time since Feb. 12. She pushed Corley on court two, with Manasse winning the second set and forcing a long 10-point tiebreaker. But the veteran Bear wound up losing, 7-5, 0-6, 1-0(12).
 
"She looked great," Augustus said of Manasse. "She's progressing. I thought everyone else did a fantastic job. We played aggressively on every court, and that's what we've been working on. We're happy to take another conference win. I'm pleased, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Cal continues Pac-12 Conference play when it hosts Arizona State on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Hellman.

No. 6/12 Cal (8-3, 2-1 Pac-12) defeated Arizona (9-5, 1-2 Pac-12), 6-1
March 17, 2017, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Doubles
1. No. 65 Maya Jansen/Denise Starr (Cal) vs. Lauren Marker/Paris Corley (Arizona), 5-2 Unfinished
2. Olivia Hauger/Maria Smith (Cal) def. Camila Wesbrooks/Marie Van Aelst (Arizona), 6-0
3. Stephane Lin/Alexis Nelson (Cal) def. Maggie Cohen/Sophia Thomas (Arizona), 6-1*
 
Cal won the doubles point
 
Order of Finish: 2, 3*
 
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1.  No. 9 Karla Popovic (Cal) def. No. 31 Lauren Marker (Arizona), 6-2, 6-3
2. Paris Corley (Arizona) def. No. 45 Maegan Manasse (Cal), 7-5, 0-6, 1-0(12)
3. Denise Starr (Cal) def. Camila Wesbrooks (Arizona) – 6-4, 6-1
4. No. 96 Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Marie Van Aelst (Arizona) – 6-1, 6-1^
5. Maya Jansen (Cal) def. Maggie Cohen (Arizona), 6-0, 6-0
6. Maria Smith (Cal) def. Sophia Thomas (Arizona), 6-4, 6-1

Order of Finish: 5, 3, 4^, 6, 1, 2
 
^Clinched the overall match