AUBURN, Ala. – A relentless effort by the Auburn women’s tennis team has led to the Tigers’ biggest win of the season so far, with Auburn defeating No. 20 South Carolina 4-2 on a cold Friday afternoon at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
The Tigers (6-1, 1-0 SEC) were left behind by 2-0 early, but recovered, winning two wins by three sets and two other disputed victories to ensure their first win among the top 25 and least head coach of the year Caroline Lilley. He also ended a run of 14 consecutive wins over SEC opponents in South Carolina (3-5, 0-1) that dated the 2018-19 season.
“When you combine resilience, determination and courage, you have an unwavering competitor,” said Lilley. “What I like most about training this team is how we choose to practice. Our attitudes, intensity, willingness to embrace adversity and character on the training court form great habits. We were pressured today and, even in the midst of adversity, we chose to find solutions. “
South Carolina entered the frame first with wins in blocks two and three to claim the doubles point. Gamecocks’ Cruz and Gretkowski team won the first game with a 6-1 win over Auburn Carolyn Ansari and Madeline Meredith. Auburn made things 11th Selin Ovunc and Taylor Russo won 6-3 in the first place over the team of Megan Davies and Mia Horvit, 29th in South Carolina. But the Gamecocks broke the tie and won the first point of the game with a 6-4 victory in court two, as Georgie Axon and Adeline Flach fell to Emma Shelton and Silvia Chinellato from 20th place.
It would be 2-0 Gamecocks when Horvit in 34th place won 6-0, 6-1 over Ovunc, 62nd place, in first individual position. But it would take more than an hour before another match was decided, since all five remaining singles matches were a round trip game.
Ansari placed Auburn on the board with his first career win over a ranked opponent, winning a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over 93rd Shelton ranked third in the singles. Some minutes later, Yu Chen he also achieved his victory in the highest ranking by defeating the 30th placed Davies 6-4 and 6-4 in the second singles position, drawing the team match 2-2.
Two of the remaining three games went to a third set. Russo put the Tigers ahead 3-2 with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-1 win in the fifth singles berth. And then Axon – who fought against five points set in the first set tie – won the game with a 7-6 (6), 7-5 victory on court four to seal the Tigers’ first victory over the Gamecocks since 2017. Freshman Adeline Flach was one game away from his first SEC win, winning 5-2 in the third set when the game was stopped.
Auburn ends the league game opening weekend at noon CT on Sunday, when Tigers receives No. 22 Florida at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
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Auburn 4, # 20 South Carolina 2
Songs
1. # 34 Mia Horvit (SC) won. # 62 Selin Ovunc (AU), 6-0, 6-1
two Yu Chen (AU) def. # 30 Megan Davies (SC), 6-4, 6-4
3 – Carolyn Ansari (AU) def. # 93 Emma Shelton (SC), 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
4 – Georgie Axon (AU) def. Silvia Chinellato (SC), 7-6 (6), 7-5
5. # 99 Taylor Russo (AU) def. Allie Gretkowski (SC), 6-4, 5-7, 6-1
6 Adeline Flach (AU) vs. Gabriela Martinez (SC), 6-3, 3-6, 5-2 unfinished
Finishing order: 1, 3, 2, 5, 4 *
Doubles
1. No. 11 Ovunc / Russian (AU) def. # 29 Horvit / Davies (SC), 6-3
2. No. 20 Shelton / Chinellato (SC) won. Axon / Flach (AU), 6-4
3. Cruz / Gretkowski (SC), def. Ansari / Meredith (AU), 6-1
Finishing order: 3, 1, 2 *
Auburn 6-1, 1-0 SEC
South Carolina 3-5, 0-1 SEC
Departure time: 3:07