Feb. 19, 2012
MONROE, La. - Auburn women's tennis started strong on Sunday afternoon in doubles play and got key singles victories from Emily Flickinger and Jen Pfeifler as it improved to 4-1 in 2012 with a 6-1 dual-match win over ULM.
"We didn't play very pretty tennis today, but we put together a great team effort to get the win," Auburn head coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner said. "It was a mentally draining day, but I'm proud of the way they powered through and got the win. It was a good experience for a team that is young and finding its identity."
Auburn secured the hotly-contested doubles point behind wins from Flickinger and Jackie Kasler at No. 2 and Olivia Bennett and Pfeifler at No. 3. Flickinger and Kasler cruised to an 8-3 win over ULM's Sophie Rufyikiri and Silvia Tumova, but Bennett and Pfeifler's win didn't come as easily.
After jumping out to a quick 5-1 lead, the duo withstood a rally from Vivian Polak and Ema Turudija that tied the match at 7-7. After the spurt, the Auburn tandem buckled down and grabbed the tie-breaker win, 9-8.
Pfeifler kept her strong day going in singles play with a straight-set win at number four (6-0, 6-0) over Monica Winkel to give Auburn the 2-0 lead. The Tigers then stretched its advantage to 3-0 with a singles win on Court 1 by Flickinger, 6-3, 6-3, over ULM's Rufyikiri.
The decisive point for Auburn came at the No. 5 post, where a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win by Plamena Kurteva over Isabelle Rocher of the Warhawks secured the victory. Despite clinching with Kurteva's win, Auburn played out the other three matches with Schippers (6-4, 2-6, 6-2) and Bennett (6-2, 4-6, 6-4) also picking up key victories.
Auburn is in action next on Friday, February 24, in the Blue-Gray National Tennis Classic in Montgomery.
Results
Doubles
1. Medy Blankvoort/Monica Winkel (ULM) def. Plamena Kurteva/Paulina Schippers (AU), 8-3
2. Emily Flickinger/Jackie Kasler (AU) def. Sophie Rufyikiri/Silvia Tumova (ULM), 8-3
3. Olivia Bennett/Jen Pfeifler (AU) def. Vivian Polak/Ema Turudija (ULM), 9-8
Singles
1. Emily Flickinger (AU) def. Sophie Rufyikiri (ULM), 6-3, 6-3
2. Jen Pfeifler (AU) def. Monica Winkel (ULM), 6-0, 6-0
3. Paulina Schippers (AU) def. Silvia Tumova (ULM), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
4. Medy Blankvoort (ULM) def. Jackie Kasler (AU) 6-1, 0-6, 6-7 (6-8)
5. Plamena Kurteva (AU) def. Isabelle Rocher (ULM), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
6. Olivia Bennett (AU) def. Vivian Polak (ULM), 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 1, 3
Singles: 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 6