MADISON, Wis. - Freshman Olivia Hauger defeated North Carolina's Marika Akkerman to clinch No. 6 California's first title at the ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship on Monday at the University of Wisconsin's Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The fourth-seeded Golden Bears wrapped up the victory over the third-seeded, fifth-ranked - and defending champion - Tar Heels, 4-3, once Hauger prevailed in three sets, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, on court five.

Video of match point, courtesy of Jonathan Kelly

After winning four times in Wisconsin, Cal captured its first national team championship - including NCAAs and ITA indoors - and improved its record to 6-0. UNC suffered its first loss and now stands 10-1.

"I couldn't be prouder of the fight and composure everyone showed on this team today and this week," Cal head coach Amanda Augustus. "It's been about making history. That's one of the things I've been trying to do since I've been coaching our program - make it better - and this is such a huge step.

"We've had opportunities by getting to the semifinals here the last two years, and to take it one step further was awesome. We were really ready to play today. Credit to North Carolina for a heck of a match. They battled hard. They were defending champions, but we were able to do just a little more to get the victory.

"I'm really proud of this team. That's our first team national championship. I'm just super proud of the girls on our team, the staff, coaches and everyone who works behind the scenes to make it happen."

Hauger trailed in the third set, 5-3, but rebounded to pull out the victory.

"She needed to just use a lot of variety to neutralize a very aggressive player," Augustus said. "Olivia was willing to go for the shots when she needed to or change it up when she needed to. She just stayed mentally tough, and her teammates kept her fired up and she kept herself fired up. That's what college tennis is all about ? being tied 3-3 in a final, going to the third set and pulling out a win. She'll keep those memories forever."

"It was absolutely incredible," Hauger said. "I was trying not to think about the details so much, but it was kind of hard not to at the same time. I think I did a great job of focusing for every single point, especially being down 3-5. It was such a big opportunity for me if I could pull it off.

"When I was 3-5 down, I felt like I should just have fun and enjoy it, and I started playing a bit more aggressive at the right time. She was making shots and did well to go up 5-3, but things started working for me. It was so much fun. I was so pumped up and so was the team."

Cal entered singles down 1-0 after UNC won the doubles point. The Tar Heels clinched the point on court three, with the Cal pair of senior Lynn Chi and freshman Maria Smith falling to Ashley Dai and Chloe Ouellet-Pizer, 6-4.

Senior Klara Fabikova tied the match at 1-1 in singles, as the 10th-ranked Bear beat the 88th-ranked Whitney Kay, 6-2, 7-5, on court two. But UNC moved ahead, 2-1, when Cal's fifth-ranked Maegan Manasse lost to the sixth-ranked Carter, 6-2, 6-2, on court one.

Sophomore Karla Popovic - who clinched Cal's semifinal win over Ohio State on Sunday - then posted a 6-1, 6-3 victory over the 112th-ranked Ouellet-Pizer on court six, and Chi beat Kate Vialle, 6-3, 7-5, on court three to pull the Bears ahead, 3-1.

On court four, junior Denise Starr - who clinched the quarterfinal win over Virginia - fell to the 68th-ranked Jessie Aney, 7-6, 6-4, to knot the contest at 3-3, leaving it up to one of the newest Bears to make history for Cal women's tennis.

ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship - Final

[4] No. 6 California (6-0) defeated [3] No. 5 North Carolina (10-1) - 4-3

Feb. 8, 2016, in Madison, Wis.

Nielsen Tennis Stadium

Doubles

1. No. 3 Maegan Manasse/Denise Starr (Cal) vs. No. 2 Hayley Carter/Whitney Kay (UNC) - 4-5 Abandoned

2. Jessie Aney/Kate Vialle (UNC) def. No. 43 Klara Fabikova/Olivia Hauger (Cal) - 6-1

3. Ashley Dai/Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) def. Lynn Chi/Maria Smith (Cal) - 6-4

North Carolina won the doubles point

Order of Finish - 2, 3*

*Clinched the doubles point

Singles

1. No. 6 Hayley Carter (UNC) def. No. 5 Maegan Manasse (Cal) - 6-2, 6-2

2. No. 10 Klara Fabikova (Cal) def. No. 88 Whitney Kay (UNC) - 6-2, 7-5

3. Lynn Chi (Cal) def. Kate Vialle (UNC) - 6-3, 7-5

4. No. 68 Jessie Aney (UNC) def. Denise Starr (Cal) - 7-6(1), 6-4

5. No. 81 Olivia Hauger (Cal) def. Marika Akkerman (UNC) - 7-5, 2-6, 7-5

6. Karla Popovic (Cal) def. No. 112 Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) - 6-1, 6-3

Order of Finish ? 2, 1, 6, 3, 4, 5*

*Clinched the overall match