Nov. 4, 2011
HOUSTON - The Auburn women's tennis team picked up 10 singles wins in 13 matches on the opening day of play at the 2011 Persona Legal Resources Cougar Fall Draw hosted by the University of Houston.
"We looked pretty good today," head coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner said. "Jackie (Kasler), Plamena (Kurteva) and Emily (Flickinger) all played really well. Jen (Pfeifler) had an off day on Friday, but everyone else played really well. Jen has been great all fall though, but just wasn't feeling well."
Freshman Emily Flickinger picked up a pair of wins over Laura Berges (Southeastern Louisiana) 6-3, 6-2 and a 6-2, 6-4 defeat of Houston's Bryony Hunter. She will face Oregon's Patricia Skowronski in her flight's quarterfinals.
Also enjoying a successful opening day of play was junior Plamena Kurteva who earned wins over Raven Lewis from Prairie View A&M (6-3, 6-2) and Texas' Juliana Gajic (6-3, 6-2). Kurteva will square off with Ana Guzman from Rice in her semifinal matchup.
Sophomore Jacqueline Kasler started the tournament with two victories as well as she knocked off Mariana Perez (Texas State) decisively 6-1, 6-1, then handled Arkansas State's Jess Heeps-Eriksen 6-1, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals in her draw.
One of the top players thus far in the fall for Auburn, freshman Jen Pfeifler picked up a hard-fought win over UALR's Veronique Luksich, but fell to Elizabeth Begley from Texas in a three-set match (4-6, 6-3, 4-6).
Junior Paulina Schippers dropped her first match to Ioana Teu from Arkansas State (1-6, 3-6), then earned a walkover win in her first consolation match. She will continue consolation play on Saturday.
Freshman Lauren Levant played just one match each on Friday, but picked up a key win and advanced to the next round in her respective draw. Levant made quick work of Prairie View A&M's Bond (6-2, 6-1) and advanced to Saturday.
Sophomore Taylor Cohen fought for a three-set, nail-biting win after dropping the first set to Michaela McShane from Arkansas-Little Rock (2-6, 6-4, 7-6), but fell in the next round to Liselot Koenen of the home-standing Cougars 6-3, 7-5.
Singles play continues at 12 p.m. on Saturday in Houston. Saturday also marks the beginning of the doubles competition.
RESULTS
Singles
Emily Flickinger (Auburn) defeated Laura Verges (Southeastern Louisiana) 6-3, 6-2
Emily Flickinger (Auburn) defeated Byrony Hunter (Houston) 6-2, 6-4
Jen Pfeifler (Auburn) defeated Veronique Luksich (UALR) 7-6 (5), 6-1
Elizabeth Begley (Texas) defeated Jen Pfeifler (Auburn) 4-6, 6-3, 4-6
Jacqueline Kasler (Auburn) defeated Mariana Perez (Texas State) 6-1, 6-1
Jacqueline Kasler (Auburn) defeated Jess Heeps-Eriksen (Arkansas State) 6-1, 6-3
Ioana Teu (Arkansas State) defeated Paulina Schippers (Auburn) 1-6, 3-6
Paulina Schippers (Auburn) defeated Neubert (Oklahoma) via walkover
Lauren Levant (Auburn) defeated Bond (Prairie View A&M) 6-2, 6-1
Plamena Kurteva (Auburn) defeated Raven Lewis (Prairie View A&M) 6-3, 6-2
Plamena Kurteva (Auburn) defeated Juliana Gajic (Texas) 6-3, 6-2
Taylor Cohen (Auburn) defeated Michaela McShane 2-6, 6-4, 7-6
Liselot Koenen (Houston) defeated Taylor Cohen (Auburn) 3-6, 5-7