Despite many strong performances, the Bears could not take the number one spot in any event at the SMC Invitational as they look ahead to the ITA Women’s All-American Championships.
Bears’ championship prospects disrupted by Tar Heels
Lisi Ludwig/Senior Staff
Though the Cal women’s tennis team’s Pac-12 tournament victory and five-match win streak heading into the third round of the NCAA championships seemed to foreshadow a fairy tale run for the blue and gold, their title hopes were put out by No. 1 North Carolina last weekend. The Tar Heels downed the Bears 4-0 on Sunday night at the USTA National Tennis Center in Orlando, bringing Cal’s memorable and highly successful season to a close.
Progressing past the Tar Heels promised to be a daunting task for the Bears. North Carolina entered the postseason boasting a regular-season resume that included 26 consecutive wins, an ACC Championship and an ITA Indoor Team title. The team’s championship pedigree became quickly evident in the doubles point.
Cal upsets top-seeded UCLA to earn its first Pac-12 trophy
Pac-12 Conference/Courtesy
Throughout the course of this unprecedented season, Cal women’s tennis head coach Amanda Augustus has stressed the importance of adaptability to her team. Her message was especially relevant at the Pac-12 tournament last weekend, where the Bears faced numerous teams they had struggled to beat in the regular season and dealt with a three-and-a-half-hour rain delay prior to the championship match. But once the rain cleared on the championship day, Cal’s resiliency quite literally led it to the treasure beneath the rainbow, as the blue and gold upset top-seeded UCLA 4-2 to hoist the program’s first-ever Pac-12 tournament trophy.
Bears fall to Cardinal, look to fulfill potential in Pac-12 Championships dailycal.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailycal.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
No. 23 Cal flaunts depth against Washington, WSU dailycal.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailycal.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.