BERKELEY – The third time was the charm for Cal women's tennis, as the No. 19/24 Golden Bears upset No. 17 USC, 5-2, on Sunday in Cal's third dual match in three days at the Hellman Tennis Complex. The match was also Cal's third straight against a top-20 opponent at home and was Cal's lone win in that span, which included narrow 4-3 losses to No. 6 Vanderbilt and No. 5 UCLA.
 
Cal senior co-captain Maria Smith clinched the victory over the Trojans when she defeated Becca Weissmann, 6-3, 6-3, at court-five singles.
 
With the nonconference win, Cal improved its record to 5-3. USC - which hosts the Bears in a Pac-12 Conference match on March 29 - is now 4-2.

The Bears captured the doubles point when the 23rd-ranked pair of Anna Bright and Jasie Dunk topped Constance Branstine and Estella Jaeger, 6-3, on court two. Earlier, the team of Olivia Hauger and Katerina Stloukalova beat Weissmann and Danielle Wilson, 6-3, on court three. But the Trojans' Rianna Valdes and Angela Kulikova upset the Bears' 28th-ranked Hana Mraz and Julia Rosenqvist, 6-4, on court one, forcing the Bears to earn the point on court two.
 
In singles, Hauger, a senior ranked 20th, made quick work of Angela Kuklikov, besting the Trojan, 6-2, 6-1, to double Cal's lead. Stloukalova soon followed with her third singles win in a row – a 6-4, 6-4 result over Valdes that gave the Bears a 3-0 lead.
 
After Smith clinched the overall win and lifted Cal to a 4-0 lead, the teams played out the last three matches, which included the 45th-ranked Rosenqvist upsetting USC's 34th-ranked Salma Ewing, 5-7, 7-5, 1-0(5), on court one. Cal wound up with a 5-2 victory.
 
"Each day this weekend we got a little bit better," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. "We adjusted quicker today when we needed to, which was important because USC was different from our other opponents this weekend. For the second day in a row, we came out with really good intensity in the doubles, and that got us off to a good start. We carried it over into the singles. USC fought back on a lot of courts, but then we fought back, too
 
"I'm pleased with where our fitness level is at. It's the first time we've played three dual matches in a row this season, so that was really good to see. The girls have earned a few days off, and we're glad to play at home again next weekend. I'm really proud of them. It was a really good team effort today."

The Bears next host UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Hellman.
 
No. 19/24 California (5-3) defeated No. 17 USC (4-2), 5-2
Feb. 24, 2019, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Doubles
1. Rianna Valdes/Angela Kulikov (USC) def. No. 28 Hana Mraz/Julia Rosenqvist (Cal), 6-4
2. No. 23 Anna Bright/Jasie Dunk (Cal) def. Constance Branstine/Estella Jaeger (USC), 6-3*
3. Olivia Hauger/Katerina Stloukalova (Cal) def. Becca Weissmann/Danielle Wilson (USC), 6-3
 
Cal won the doubles point
*Clinched the doubles point
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2*
 
Singles
1. No. 45 Julia Rosenqvist (Cal) def. No. 34 Salma Ewing (USC), 5-7, 7-5, 1-0(5)
2. No. 20 Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Angela Kulikova (USC), 6-2, 6-1
3. Katerina Stloukalova (Cal) def. Rianna Valdes (USC), 6-4, 6-4
4. Ana Neffa (USC) def. No. 69 Anna Bright (Cal), 6-4, 7-6(9)
5. Maria Smith (Cal) def. No. 120 Becca Weissmann (USC), 6-3, 6-3
6. Danielle Wilson (USC) def. Hana Mraz (Cal), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
 
^Clinched the overall match
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 5^, 6, 1, 4