Cal stars beat seeds in Redding Challenger qualies

   Cal All-Americans Denise Starr and Klara Fabikova knocked off seeds today in the first round of qualifying for The Ascension Project Women's $25,000 Challenger in Redding, Calif.

   Starr, a junior from Brooklyn, N.Y., defeated No. 4 seed Brynn Boren of Laguna Niguel, Calif., 6-3, 6-3 at Sun Oaks Tennis and Fitness.

   Fabikova, a senior from the Czech Republic, topped No. 5 Kayla Day, 15, of Santa Barbara 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3. Fabikova reached the NCAA doubles final in May in Waco, Texas, with then-senior Zsofi Susanyi. They lost to defending champions Maya Jansen and Erin Routliffe of Alabama.
   Three other Bears -- No. 3 seed Maegan Manasse, a junior All-American from Redondo Beach, Calif.; Lyann Hoang, a sophomore from Australia; and Olivia Hauger, a freshman from Tulsa, Okla. -- also advanced.
   A sixth Cal player, sophomore Karla Popovic of Croatia, lost to eighth-seeded Amy Zhu of Newark, Del., 6-3, 6-4.
   Caroline Doyle, a junior All-American at Stanford from San Francisco, demolished Kaitlin Ray of Little Rock, Ark., 6-0, 6-0. Ray was named the Pac-12 Women's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a UCLA senior in the spring.
   The Challenger main draw begins Tuesday at 10 a.m. The Redding-based Ascension Project develops athletes into leaders.

THE ASCENSION PROJECT WOMEN'S $25,000 CHALLENGER

At Sun Oaks Tennis and Fitness in Redding, Calif.

First-round qualifying

   Lyann Hoang, Australia, def. Emily Weisberg, United States, 6-3, 6-3.
   Sophie Chang (2), United States, def. Hanna Chang, United States, 6-7 (6), 6-0, 6-4.
   Caroline Doyle, United States, def. Kaitlin Ray, United States, 6-0, 6-0.
   Maegan Manasse (3), United States, def. Alexandra Facey, United States, 6-2, 6-2.
   Darya Possokhova, United States, def. Nicole Baloescu, Canada, 6-2, 6-4.
   Denise Starr, United States, def. Brynn Boren (4), United States, 6-3, 6-3.
   Lorraine Guillermo, United States, def. Lindsay Lee-Waters, United States, 6-2, 6-1.
   Klara Fabikova, Czech Republic, def. Kayla Day (5), United States, 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3.
   Michelle Sammons (6), South Africa, def. Seriana Saltzen, United States, 6-4, 6-3.
   Ashley Kratzer (9), United States, def. Morgan McCray, United States, 6-1, 6-2.
   Amy Zhu (8), United States, def. Karla Popovic, Croatia, 6-3, 6-4.
   Olivia Hauger, United States, def. Kat Facey, United States, 6-0, 6-2.
   Megan McCray, United States, def. Carolyn Xie, United States, 6-3, 6-2.
   Emma Christine Higuchi (11), United States, def. Tory Parravi, United States, 6-3, 6-4.
   Kaitlyn Christian, United States, def. Karina Kristina Vyrlan (7), United States, 6-4, 6-3.

Monday's schedule

Court 2

(Starting at 10 a.m.)

   Ema Burgic Bucko (1), Bosnia and Herzegovina, vs. Lyann Hoang, Australia.

(Not before 11 a.m.)

   Amy Zhu, United States, vs. Emma Christine Higuchi (11), United States.

Court 1

(Starting at 10 a.m.)

   Denise Starr, United States, vs. Lorraine Guillermo, United States.

(Not before 11 a.m.)

   Klara Fabikova, Czech Republic, vs. Olivia Hauger, United States.

Court 3

(Starting at 10 a.m.)

   Maegan Manasse (3), United States, vs. Darya Possokhova, United States.

(Not before 11 a.m.)

   Michelle Sammons (6), South Africa, vs. Ashley Kratzer (9), United States.

Court 4

(Starting at 10 a.m.)

   Sophie Chang (2), United States, vs. Caroline Doyle, United States.

(Not before 11 a.m.)

   Kaitlyn Christian, United States, vs. Megan McCray, United States.