Auburn women's tennis earns road win at Clemson

Auburn women's tennis earns road win at Clemson

Auburn women's tennis earns road win at ClemsonAuburn women's tennis earns road win at Clemson
Shanna Lockwood/AU Athletics

CLEMSON, S.C. – Auburn came through with four singles victories to earn a 4-3 victory over Clemson Sunday morning in the Tigers' second straight road match against an ACC opponent.

Auburn (4-1) bounced back after dropping the doubles point, clinching the match in a three-set win at the No. 6 singles spot.

"Clemson was all over us in doubles today," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "For the majority of the match we were clawing and fighting to be competitive. I certainly commend the grit and resilience, the willingness to find a way to disrupt even when the score wasn't in our favor. The tennis won't always be pretty, but the heart can always have a posture of tenacity and toughness."

Clemson took a 1-0 lead with wins at the second and third singles spot. Auburn's 11th-ranked team of Selin Ovunc and Taylor Russo delivered a 6-1 win at the top spot, but Georgie Axon and Adeline Flach came up short 6-1 on court two and Yu Chen and Carolyn Ansari dropped a 6-2 decision at the third doubles spot.

Axon pulled Auburn even with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Cristina Mayorova at the No. 4 singles spot. Clemson would move back ahead 2-1 as Chen came up short to Jenna Thompson 6-4, 6-3, at No. 2 singles, but a 6-2, 6-3 win from 62nd-ranked Ovunc at the top spot tied the team score at 2-2.

Ansari made it 3-2 Auburn with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Middlebrooks on court three. And freshman Adeline Flach provided her third match-clinching win of the season, bouncing back from a first-set loss for a 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 win over Clemson's Zaina Nait Omar to secure the win for Auburn. Russo also forced a third set on court five, but came up just short in a 1-6, 7-5, 4-6 loss to close out the day.

Auburn closes out non-conference play Saturday, Feb. 13, on the road at North Florida in a match that was rescheduled from Jan. 24. The match is scheduled for an 11 a.m. CT start in Jacksonville, Fla.

For the latest on Auburn women's tennis, follow @AuburnWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Auburn 4, Clemson 3

Singles

1. #62 Selin Ovunc (AU) def. Eleni Louka (CU), 6-2, 6-3
2. Jenna Thompson (CU) def. Yu Chen (AU), 6-4, 6-3
3. Carolyn Ansari (AU) def. M. Middlebrooks (CU), 6-2, 6-4
4. Georgie Axon (AU) def. Cristina Mayorova (CU), 6-2, 6-0
5. Sophia Hatton (CU) def. #99 Taylor Russo (AU), 6-1, 5-7, 6-4
6. Adeline Flach (AU) def. Zaina Nait Omar (CU), 2-6, 6-0, 6-2
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1, 3, 6*, 5

Doubles
1. #11 Ovunc/Russo (AU) def. Marti/Middlebrooks (CU), 6-1
2. Thompson/Louka (CU) def. Axon/Flach (AU), 6-1
3. Hatton/Mayorova (CU) def. Ansari/Chen (AU), 6-2
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3*