Nov. 5, 2005
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - Through the first two days of the SEC Fall Coaches Classic, one never would have guessed Auburn's doubles team of sophomore Tori Almagno and freshman Whitney Chappell were playing together for the first time. The duo won for the third straight time on Saturday, defeating Audrey Bordeleau and Vlatka Jovanovic of Arkansas, 8-6, to advance to Sunday's final in the "B" flight.
As a whole, the Auburn women's tennis team won 2-of-3 doubles matches on Saturday. In the "A" flight, the Tigers' team of senior Ashley Cowart and freshman Alex Haney defeated Andrea Brenes and Mari Muller of Alabama, 8-6. The only loss in doubles came when senior Erin Gray and freshman Irina Pljusznyin lost to Tatiano Feit and Daniella Juskova of Mississippi State, 8-5.
In singles play, Haney won both of her matches on Saturday. She opened with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 win over Lara Maurer of Kentucky and followed it up with a victory over Tennessee's Melissa Schaub, 6-2, 6-2.
Cowart began the day in the "B" flight with a win over Polina Kokoulina of Mississippi State, 6-4, 6-4. The victory avenged her loss to Kokoulina in straight sets in last year's dual match. Cowart concluded the day with a three-set loss to Mississippi's Ksenia Tokarieva, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.
In the "C" flight, Almagno won her first match over Arkansas' Melissa Cornett by default and lost her final match to Andrea Brenes of Alabama, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Participating in the "D" flight, Gray defeated Allison Linden of Arkansas, 6-4, 6-2. Pljusznyin won her first match by default over Mississippi's Sarah Sabin. In her final match, she lost to Tennessee's Samantha Orlin, 6-3, 7-5.
The Tigers continue play on Sunday at the SEC Fall Coaches Classic.
Women's Collegiate Tennis
SEC Fall Coaches Class
Peachtree City, Ga.
Singles
Flight A
Alex Haney, AU def. Lara Maurer, UK 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.
Alex Haney, AU def. Melissa Schaub, Tennessee, 6-2, 6-2.
Flight B
Ashley Cowart, AU def. Polina Kokoulina, MSU, 6-4, 6-4.
Ksenia Tokarieva, UM def. Ashley Cowart, AU, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.
Flight C
Tori Almagno, AU def. Melissa Cornett, Ark, default.
Andrea Brenes, UA def. Tori Almagno, AU, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Flight D
Erin Gray, AU def. Allison Linden, Ark, 6-4, 6-2.
Irina Pljusznyin AU def. Sarah Sabin, UM, default.
Samantha Orlin, Tenn. def. Irina Pljusznyin, AU, 6-3, 7-5.
Doubles
Flight A
Ashley Cowart and Alex Haney, AU def. Andrea Brenes and Mari Muller, UA, 8-6.
Flight B
Semifinals: Tori Almagno and Whitney Chappell, AU def. Audrey Bordeleau and Vlatka Jovanovic, Ark, 8-6.
Tatiano Feit and Daniella Juskova, MSU def. Erin Gray and Irina Pljusznyin, AU, 8-5.