The Auburn University women’s tennis team lost their game against Texas A&M 5-2, at home, Sunday afternoon.
With the win, Texas A&M improve their overall record to 19-1 and their SEC record remains perfect at 7-0. Auburn falls to 14-5 overall and 4-3 in conference play. Now, the Tigers will travel north to battle #1 Kentucky. 45 on the road. The game will begin at 11:00 CT at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center.
Adeline Flach and Angella Okutoyi tied in their match 3–3 with Mia Kupres and Mary Stoiana, but Kupres and Stoiana claimed the next three games to win the match 6–3. Ariana Arseneault and Carolyn Ansari, were tied with Jayci Goldsmith and Salma Ewing, the 46th ranked doubles team in the nation, 5-5 on court one. Goldsmith and Ewing then won the next two games to claim the game 7-5 and pick up the doubles point for the Aggies.
Texas A&M won quickly on court five to extend their lead to 2-0, but Auburn’s DJ Bennett won his match in straight sets against No. 120 Goldsmith 6-3, 6-2 on court four. The win marks the freshman’s fifth singles win of the season in conference play and his third singles doubles win over a ranked opponent.
Kaitlyn Carnicella then dropped out of her match on court three and Adeline Flach was defeated on court six. Texas A&M’s victory on field six ensured a game win for the Aggies.
Soon after Flach’s match ended, Arseneault defeated Salma Ewing in a tight match 7-5, 7-5. The win is Arsneault’s tenth double-singles win of the season and her third in SEC play. On court one, Ansari forced a third set to win the second set by a score of 6-3 against Mary Stoiana, the third largest singles player in the country. With the team result no longer in dispute, Ansari and Stoiana played a ten-point tiebreaker to decide the winner, which Stoiana won 10-8.
The Auburn coach Caroline Lilley analyzed the match: “Texas A&M played tough from start to finish. We had some squandered opportunities in doubles, but I loved our intent. Those shortcomings will work in our favor as we continue to gain more experience than match.
There is no room for passivity. At times we weren’t sure, which led us not to play the plays we wanted. Combine that with a team that used the chances gained very well and presented some challenges.
We have more tennis to play and I know we are hungry to improve as a staff and as a team. Our best is ahead of us as long as we stay focused on growing and excited knowing we have many areas to hone in. Areas where little things make a difference.”
About the Auburn University
Auburn is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest in the state.
Auburn University’s sports teams are known as the Tigers and compete in Division I-A of the NCAA and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Auburn has won 19 intercollegiate championships (including 17 NCAA championships), three of them in football (1913, 1957, 2010), 8 in men’s swimming and diving (1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 ), 5 in women’s swimming and diving (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007), 2 in equestrian (2008, 2011), and one in women’s track and field (2006). Auburn has also won a total of 70 Southeastern Conference titles, 51 men’s and 19 women’s. Auburn’s colors are orange and blue, chosen by George Petrie, the head coach of the college’s football team, inspired by the colors of his alma mater, the University of Virginia.
Auburn was founded on February 7, 1856 during the presidency of Franklin Pierce, as East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts school affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1872 the college became the first public university to benefit from the Morrill Act and was renamed the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama.
Photo credits: Auburn University website
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