This post was updated April 28 at 8:28 p.m.

OJAI, Calif. — In college tennis, the same opponents in a conference will typically face each other multiple times in a season, and over the course of the players’ careers.

Lineups remain generally stable, allowing for familiar teams’ players to rematch with familiar foes.

The break in this tradition, however, played to the Golden Bears’ advantage despite missing their No. 3 singles player in Katja Wiersholm.

No. 1 seed UCLA women’s tennis (18-5, 9-1 Pac-12) fell to No. 4 seed California (18-5, 8-2) in the semifinals of the Pac-12 championships Friday in Ojai, California. Wiersholm’s absence from the Golden Bears’ lineup meant five of six matchups were different from the last time UCLA and Cal faced each other in March, ultimately giving the Berkeley squad the upper hand for the second time this season.

“They switched things up, and I think it’s smart doing that,” said sophomore Tian Fangran. “Not having that as an excuse, but I feel like people playing an unexpected opponent might affect their mindset, so I feel like that’s definitely a factor.”

Wiersholm felt under the weather Friday, resulting in her only playing in doubles and watching from the sidelines in an N-95 mask for singles. The junior had previously clinched Cal’s 4-3 win against UCLA in March against freshman Bianca Fernandez in three sets, but her absence allowed Fernandez a fresh opponent this time around in Jessica Alsola.

The unfamiliarity proved a challenge for Fernandez, who won her first set but dropped the next two, giving Cal a spot in the tournament championship match.

Coach Stella Sampras Webster said despite the loss, she thinks it is valuable for the freshmen on the team to get used to facing a variety of opponents.

“It’s a good experience for all the freshmen to see what it’s like and be able to make adjustments against different game styles,” Sampras Webster said.

Doubles lineups remained nearly identical, however, aside from the team that clinched the point for UCLA – freshman Ahmani Guichard and redshirt senior Sasha Vagramov.

It was the duo’s second clincher in Ojai, and the weekend marked Vagramov’s first time on the courts since March 15 after being sidelined due to an injury. Her appearance in doubles marked the only personnel change for UCLA between March and Friday, and it ultimately gave the Bruins the doubles edge over the Golden Bears.

“The thrill of competition – especially getting to play at Ojai at this historic tournament one more time – meant a lot to me, so I’m grateful that I got to compete and bring in two wins this weekend,” Vagramov said.

Cal responded to the doubles loss by claiming four of six first sets in singles. The Golden Bears switched their top two courts compared to their first bout against the Bruins, placing No. 41 Hannah Viller Moeller on court one and No. 52 Valentina Ivanov on court two. The switch landed junior Kimmi Hance against Ivanov after she beat Viller Moeller in straight sets in March. This time around, Hance earned the fewest games of her career with a 6-0, 6-2 loss.

“They made some adjustments with their lineup. I think some of the matchups weren’t great for us and better for them, so I think that made a difference there,” Sampras Webster said.

The lineup shakeup proved no challenge for Tian, however, who limited Viller Moeller to the same number of games as Hance in her 6-1, 6-1 victory.

Guichard and junior Elise Wagle’s singles losses afterward left two Bruins still in play in third sets – Fernandez and sophomore Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer. Lutkemeyer came back from a first-set loss with a second-set sweep, then clawed her way back from a 5-1 hole in set three to an even five games apiece. Her heroics stopped mid-match when Cal’s Lan Mi had to pause because of cramping, leaving the only action on court three with Fernandez.

It took Fernandez until her opponent was one game away from victory before she could tally a game for herself in the third set. While whispers of a comeback drifted through the Ojai crowd, the freshman could not complete one, and found herself with the match-clinching loss to the Golden Bears for the second time this season.

“I’m really proud of my team,” Sampras Webster said. “We’ve had a really good season, and I know we’re not done. They’ve come a long way and I don’t want them to have their heads down. They have a lot of things to be proud of.”