No. 11 Bears Beat Tigers In ITA Kickoff Weekend

Hannah Viller Moeller clinched Cal’s overall win over Princeton and paired with Makenna Thiel (right) to clinch doubles.

BERKELEY – The 11th-ranked Cal women’s tennis team defeated Princeton in its ITA Kickoff Weekend opener on Friday to advance to Saturday’s final and a chance to qualify for the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. Hannah Viller Moeller clinched a Golden Bears’ victory for the second straight match as the Bears defeated the Tigers, 4-1, at the Hellman Tennis Complex.
 
Cal improved to 2-0 on the season, while Princeton’s record moved to 3-1.
 
Viller Moeller also teamed with Makenna Thiel to clinch the doubles point, as the duo beat the Tigers’ Leena Bennett and Zoe Howard, 6-2, on court three. Earlier, Cal seniors Haley Giavara and Erin Richardson bested Maia Sung and Grace Joyce, 6-0, on court two.
 
Princeton tied the overall match at 1-1 when Joyce beat Richardson at court-six singles, 6-3, 6-2.
 
But Cal won the final three singles matches – 16th-ranked Jessica Alsola beat Neha Velaga, 6-2, 7-5, Katja Wiersholm defeated Howard, 6-1, 7-5, and the 93rd-ranked Viller Moeller clinched with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Bennetto – to wrap up the match.
 
In the afternoon match, San Diego upset 25th-ranked Georgia Tech, 4-1, to secure a spot in the final against the Bears.
 
Cal and USD play at 1 p.m. in Saturday’s final, while Princeton and Georgia Tech play in a consolation match at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Hellman.
 
ITA Kickoff Weekend
 
No. 11 California (2-0), 4, Princeton (3-1) 1
Jan. 27, 2023, in Berkeley, Calif.
Hellman Tennis Complex
 
Doubles
1. Daria Frayman/Neha Velaga (Princeton) vs. No. 15 Jessica Alsola/Katja Wiersholm (Cal) 4-3 Unfinished
2. Haley Giavara/Erin Richardson (Cal) def. Maia Sung/Grace Joyce (Princeton) 6-0
3. Makenna Thiel/Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal) def. Leena Bennett/Zoe Howard (Princeton) 6-2*
 
Order of Finish – 2, 3*
*Clinched the doubles point
 
Singles
1. No. 4 Daria Frayman (Princeton) vs. Haley Giavara (Cal), 6-4, 6-5 Unfinished
2. No. 16 Jessica Alsola (Cal) def. Neha Velaga (Princeton), 6-2, 7-5
3. Katja Wiersholm (Cal) def. Zoe Howard (Princeton), 6-1, 7-5
4. No. 93 Hannah Viller Moeller (Cal) def. Leena Bennetto (Princeton), 6-3, 6-4
5. Berta Passola Folch (Cal) vs. Maia Sung (Princeton), 6-4, 6-5 Unfinished
6….