AUBURN, Ala. – It was a tough afternoon for the 18th-ranked Auburn women's tennis team as the Tigers fell to No. 30 Ole Miss 4-0 Saturday at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
The Tigers (10-3, 5-2 SEC) lost at home for the first time this season as Ole Miss (8-5, 4-3) sprinted ahead in doubles and never looked back.
"Ole Miss was flat out better than us today," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "They played the big points better, they remained composed when facing adversity, and they came out and really took us to us in the doubles point.
"As the leader of the program, I didn't have the team prepared today and that responsibility lies squarely on my shoulders. The belief comes from a daily commitment to being our best, and I will do a better job of making sure we are focused on the things we can control as we remain steadfast in pursuing consistent growth. We will be better because of matches like today, and we certainly have a lot of tennis ahead of us to be excited about."
With the Tigers forced to alter their doubles lineup and positions for Saturday's match, Ole Miss took advantage and won a pair of 6-0 matches to take an early lead. Selin Ovunc and Yu Chen, playing at No. 3, fell 6-0, as did Carolyn Ansari and Anastasia Astakhova at the second spot. Georgie Axon and Adeline Flach were fighting hard at the top doubles spot down 3-2 when play was halted.
In singles, it was 2-0 Rebels as Astakhova fell on court six to Lillian Gabrielsen, 6-4, 6-1. Chen came up short to 39th-ranked Sabina Machalova at the No. 2 singles spot, 6-2, 6-3, and Flach dropped a 6-4, 6-2 decision to Reka Zadori at No. 5 singles to clinch the win for Ole Miss.
Ovunc had fought back from a first-set loss to win her second set 6-0, Ansari had split her first two sets and was just underway in the third, and Axon was up a set but trailing 1-4 in the second when play was halted.
After a well-timed week off from competition, the Tigers will be back in action March 26 and 28 with a road trip to Arkansas and Missouri.
For the latest on Auburn women's tennis, follow @AuburnWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
#30 Ole Miss 4, #18 Auburn 0
Singles
1. #62 Selin Ovunc (AU) vs. Tiphanie Fiquet (OM), 4-6, 6-0 unfinished
2. #39 Sabina Machalova (OM) def. Yu Chen (AU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Carolyn Ansari (AU) vs. Terka Janatova (OM), 6-4, 0-6, 0-0 unfinished
4. Georgie Axon (AU) vs. Anna Vrbenska (OM), 7-5, 1-4 unfinished
5. Reka Zadori (OM) def. Adeline Flach (AU), 6-4, 6-2
6. Lillian Gabriensen (OM) def. Anastasia Astakhova (AU), 6-4, 6-1
Order of finish: 6, 2, 5
Doubles
1. #24 Machalova/Bortles (OM) vs. Axon/Flach (AU), 3-2 unfinished
2. #44 Vrbenska/Janatova (OM) def. Ansari/Astakhova (AU), 6-0
3. Fiquet/Gabrielsen (OM) def. Ovunc/Chen (AU), 6-0
Order of finish: 2, 3
