BERKELEY – The 30th-ranked California women's tennis team throttled Washington State, 6-1, on Friday afternoon in the Golden Bears' penultimate regular-season home match at the Hellman Tennis Complex. Katja Wiersholm clinched Cal's third straight victory and paired with Jessica Alsola to clinch the doubles point. Alsola continued her success in singles with her 17th consecutive win.
 
Cal's record improved to 10-7 overall, and now with a 6-2 Pac-12 record, the Bears are at least temporarily in sole possession of second place in the conference with two Pac-12 matches to go.
 
The Cougars fell to 7-12 (0-8).
 
The Bears have been dominant of late, winning either 6-1 or 7-0 in five of their last six dual matches. The only blemish in that stretch was a 4-3 loss to then-No. 62 Loyola Marymount on April 2 in Berkeley.
 
Before Friday's match, Cal lauded Bears' head coach Amanda Augustus and Washington State head coach Raquel Atawo – both Cal Athletics Hall of Famers and former NCAA champions – as part of the department's continuing celebration of the 50th anniversary of the passing of Title IX.
 
In doubles, the pair of Haley Giavara and Valentina Ivanov won Cal's first match, as the seniors beat Fifa Kumhom and Yura Nakagawa, 6-3, on court two. The ninth-ranked duo of Alsola and Wiersholm bested the 53rd-ranked Eva Alvarez Sande and Elyse Tse, 6-4, on court one to wrap up the doubles point.
 
Berta Passola Folch gave Cal a 2-0 lead over the Cougars when she defeated Hania Abouelsaad, 6-1, 6-1, at court-six singles and extended her own win streak to eight. Hannah Viller Moeller followed with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Stefaniia Mikhailova to lift Cal to a 3-0 advantage. Wiersholm – who's won six straight in singles – then beat Elyse Tse, 7-6(5), 6-1, to give the Bears the official win.
 
Cal won two of the final three matches, including the 48th-ranked Alsola's 6-1, 7-6(5) victory over Yura Nakagawa, 6-1, 7-6(5), to come away with its 6-1 result.
 
"It was a good conference win today," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus said. "I was especially happy for us to get the doubles point. We're getting better every day. The team is building nicely towards the postseason, after a late and slow start. That's okay. This team is resilient, and we're going to keep getting better."
 
The Bears host 19th-ranked Washington on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in their regular-season home finale. Cal will also host its Senior Day ceremony prior to the match.
 
No. 30 California (10-7, 6-2 Pac-12) 6, Washington State (7-12, 0-8 Pac-12) 1
April 14, 2023, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Doubles
1. No. 9 Jessica Alsola/Katja Wiersholm (Cal) def. No. 53 Eva Alvarez Sande/Elyse Tse (WSU), 6-4*
2. Haley Giavara/Valentina Ivanov (Cal) def. Fifa Kumhom/Yura Nakagawa (WSU), 6-3
3. Berta Passola Folch/Erin Richardson (Cal) vs. Hania Abouelsaad/Yang Lee (WSU), 6-5 Abandoned
 
Order of Finish – 2, 1*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. Haley Giavara (Cal), 6-3, 0-6, 6-4
2. No. 48 Jessica Alsola (Cal) def. Yura Nakagawa (WSU), 6-1, 7-6(5)
3. Katja Wiersholm (Cal) def. Elyse Tse (WSU), 7-6(5), 6-1
4. Valentina Ivanov (Cal) def. Fifa Kumhom (WSU), 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
5. Berta Passola Folch (Cal) def. Hania Abouelsaad (WSU), 6-1, 6-1
6. Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal) def. Stefaniia Mikhailova (WSU), 6-4, 6-4
 
Order of Finish – 5, 6, 3^, 2, 4, 1
^Clinched the overall win