Oct. 13, 2005
ATHENS, Ga. - In what is the most competitive tournament to date for the Auburn women's tennis team, the Tigers collected four victories on the first day of the four-day ITA Southern Regional hosted by Georgia. For the first time this fall, the Tigers were healthy enough to travel more than four players to a tournament, as they took a five-player contingent of seniors Ashley Cowart and Erin Gray, sophomore Tori Almagno and freshmen Alex Haney and Irina Pljusznyin to the tournament.
"The results are getting better every week," head coach Tim Gray said. "I've got to give the players credit because they are listening and being receptive to what we are teaching them. We're seeing really good progress every tournament."
In singles play, Cowart, Haney and Pljusznyin competed in the A flight, while Gray and Almagno were in the B flight.
Haney continued her success this fall, as she won a 6-1, 6-2 decision over Suzanne Jones of Troy to open the tournament. The Grayson, Ga., native followed up the win by defeating Mississippi State's No. 2 player, Anastasia Kugakolova, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the round of 16. She will face the fifth-seeded Diana Srebrovic of Florida on Friday.
"Alex has done great," Gray said. "I'm not going to jump up and down and do cartwheels over her play because I know she is capable of this."
Cowart opened with a 6-0, 6-0 loss to Georgia's Kelley Hyndman. She will play Teresina PazSoldan of Mercer in the consolation bracket on Friday.
After missing the Kentucky Fall Invitational, Pljusznyin returned to the court on Thursday. Pljusznyin lost her opening match to Kristi Miller of Georgia Tech, 6-0, 6-0. In her consolation match on Friday, Pljusznyin will face Dary Ivanov of Georgia.
Gray moved her career-best winning streak to four, as she won her first and second round matches. In the first round, Gray defeated Grace Kammerer of Southern Mississippi, 6-3, 6-2. In the round of 32, Gray knocked off Juliana Negosek of Southeast Missouri State, 6-1, 6-0.
For the first time this fall, Almagno was injury free and able to compete. The rust from the time off showed in her opening match, as she fell to Martina Strussova of Bethune-Cookman, 6-3, 6-4. Her draw in her consolation match will be announced on Friday morning.
Doubles competition begins on Friday, with Haney and Cowart competing in the A flight and Almagno and Pljusznyin competing in the B flight.
The Tigers continue play on Friday at the ITA Southern Regional. For the latest news in Auburn tennis, please visit www.auburntigers.com
Women's Collegiate Tennis
ITA Southern Regional
Athens, Ga.
Singles Flight A
Kelly Hyndman, UGA, def. Ashley Cowart, AU, 6-0, 6-0.
Alex Haney, AU, def. Suzanne Jones, Troy, 6-1, 6-2.
Kristi Miller, GT, def. Irina Pljusznyin, AU, 6-0, 6-0.
Alex Haney, AU, def. Anastasia Kugakolova, MSU, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Flight B
Erin Gray, AU, def. Grace Kammerer, USM, 6-3, 6-2.
Martina Strussova BCC, def. Tori Almagno, AU, 6-3, 6-4.
Erin Gray, AU, def. Juliana Negosek, SMSU, 6-1, 6-0.