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Katja Wiersholm earned a win in NCAA singles and the first All-America honor of her career Wednesday in Waco.
WACO, Texas – California women’s tennis senior Katja Wiersholm won in the NCAA Singles Championship round of 32 on Wednesday at Baylor to capture the first singles All-America honor of her career. The Golden Bear – ranked 33rd – defeated South Carolina’s 10th-ranked Sarah Hamner 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(6) to advance to Thursday’s round of 16.
Wiersholm trailed 5-4 in the third set and faced four match points against a quality opponent before rebounding to force a tiebreaker.
“The (Cal) men’s team was right behind me because one of the men’s players was playing right next to me, and they really brought the fire,” she told broadcaster Cracked Racquets. “It felt like a dual-match environment, which is what I thrive in. It was so awesome to have them behind me and have my back. It really helped me get through that moment. When you’re down 5-4, 40-love, there’s not much else you can do but just survive. The best comes out of you, and that’s how you get through those moments.”
Wiersholm plays Auburn’s 32nd-ranked DJ Bennett on Thursday at a time to be announced at the Hurd Tennis Center.
The veteran is the last Bear standing in Waco.
Cal senior Lan Mi, ranked 80th, suffered a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 loss to Ohio State’s 23rd-ranked Luciana Perry and the 107th-ranked Mao Mushika fell to Stanford’s fourth-ranked and sixth-seeded Connie Ma 6-2, 6-2 in Wednesday’s round of 32.
In the NCAA Doubles Championship first round, Cal’s 16th-ranked tandem of Mushika and senior Jessica Alsola lost to UCLA’s top-seeded and 15th-ranked Kimmi Hance and Elise Wagle 6-3, 6-3.
The NCAA individual championships end Sunday.
NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships – Cal Results
Nov. 20 2024, in Waco, Texas
Hurd Tennis Center
Singles Round of 32
No. 33 Katja Wiersholm (Cal) def. [9-16] No. 10 Sarah Hamner (South Carolina), 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(6)
[9-16] No. 23 Luciana Perry (Ohio State) def. No. 80 Lan Mi (Cal), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
[6] No. 4 Connie Ma (Stanford) def. No. 107 Mao Mushika (Cal), 6-2, 6-2
Doubles Round of 32
[1] No. 15 Kimmi Hance/Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. No. 16 Jessica Alsola/Mao Mushika (Cal), 6-3, 6-3
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