The No. 2 Virginia women’s tennis team suffered its second consecutive defeat Friday, falling 4-1 to California, the nation’s No. 26-ranked team, at the Virginia Tennis Facility at Boar’s Head Resort. The Cavaliers (12-4, 4-2 ACC) struggled to find their footing against the determined Golden Bears (8-4, 5-0 ACC), who remain undefeated in conference competition.
The match began with a tightly contested doubles battle, in which California struck first with a 6-4 win on Court 3. Virginia responded, as the duo of freshman Martina Genis Salas and junior Annabelle Xu pulled out a 6-4 victory on Court 2.
With the doubles point coming down to Court 1, the No. 1-ranked team of seniors Elaine Chervinsky and Melodie Collard found themselves locked in a tiebreaker against California’s No. 12-ranked duo of sophomore Mao Mushika and senior Jessica Alsola. In the end, the Golden Bears prevailed 7-6 (4), handing Chervinsky and Collard their first loss of the season in dual-match play and giving California the early lead.
In singles, the Golden Bears quickly built on their momentum. Collard fell in straight sets on Court 4, and California extended its lead to 2-0. California senior Lan Mi executed another straight-set win against Chervinsky on Court 3, putting Virginia in a difficult position.
The Cavaliers finally got on the board thanks to Genis Salas, who delivered a strong performance on Court 5, defeating freshman Greta Greco Lucchina 6-4, 6-2. Genis Salas showcased powerful, deep groundstrokes that Lucchina struggled to handle effectively.
However, California ultimately sealed the win on Court 1, where Mushika outlasted Virginia graduate student Sara Ziodato in a tight match, clinching a 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory to secure the 4-1 result. Ziodato was consistent from the baseline but failed to match Mushika’s aggression when necessary.
Although Xu and freshman Blanca Pico Navarro were both leading their matches when play was halted, the Cavaliers were unable to extend the contest. Despite the competitive sets, the Cavaliers were narrowly outplayed, with California finding the edge in key moments to secure the victory.
The loss marks Virginia’s first setback at home in conference play this season. Looking to rebound, the Cavaliers will remain in Charlottesville to take on No. 28 Stanford Sunday at noon.
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