TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – An all-out effort from the 19th-ranked Auburn women's tennis team came up short to No. 7 Florida State in a 4-1 loss Saturday at the Speicher Tennis Center.
The Tigers (14-9) fought back from dropping the doubles point to force three singles matches into third sets, but Auburn could not complete the comeback in front of a big crowd on the Seminoles' home courts.
"The one word I choose to define this team is 'fight,'" Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "I have the privilege of coaching a group of young women who fight for one another, fight regardless of the score, and fight for Auburn. I am humbled and immeasurably blessed to work with this team, and I am proud of each and every one of them."
"Sometimes, in sport, the result doesn't fall in your favor – after all, that is what competing is all about. But the score doesn't define who we are, what we are made of, or the character and value system that makes up our standard of excellence. As we continue to pursue our own journey, a journey that shapes and molds us through mountaintops and valleys, I am certain of one thing: the best is yet to come.
"We will leave Tallahassee with our heads held high, fire in our bellies, and a resilience to be better tomorrow because of today."
Carolyn Ansari, ranked 71st, provided the Tigers' only win of the day, making quick work of 44th-ranked Emmanuelle Salas, 6-3, 6-0. It was her third win over a top-50 opponent this season. That put Auburn on the board after the Seminoles took the first two points – two wins in doubles and a victory on court 5 for Victoria Allen over Adeline Flach, 6-1, 6-1.
But after dropping the first set on four courts in singles, it felt as though the momentum shifted toward Auburn a little over two hours into the match. Despite trailing 2-1 in the team match, Selin Ovunc and Georgie Axon had forced third sets on their courts, and Yu Chen had fought her way into a second-set tiebreaker. Anastasia Astakhova also had a set in hand, but was headed to a third after an 8-6 tiebreaker loss on court six.
However, Chen came up short in a second-set tiebreaker to fall to Nandini Das, 6-1, 7-6 (5), and Axon dropped a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 decision at the fourth spot to end the match. Ovunc was leading 2-1 in the third set over 12th-ranked Giulia Pairone, and Astakhova's third set with Andrea Garcia was just underway.
In doubles, FSU got wins on courts 1 and 3 to secure the first point of the day. Axon and Flach fell to 30th-ranked Salas and Allen, 6-2, and Chen and Astakhova dropped a 6-3 match to 89th-ranked Hule and Pairone. Ovunc and Ansari had a match point chance against 8th-ranked Das and Garcia at the No. 2 spot when play was halted.
There is still more tennis to be played. Ovunc will compete in the NCAA singles championship, which gets underway May 23 in Orlando.
For the latest on Auburn women's tennis, follow @AuburnWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
NCAA Second Round
#7 Florida State 4, #19 Auburn 1
Singles
1. #12 Giulia Pairone (FSU) vs. #61 Selin Ovunc (AU), 6-4, 4-6, 1-2 unfinished
2. #71 Carolyn Ansari (AU) def. #44 Emmanuelle Salas (FSU), 6-3, 6-0
3. Nandini Das (FSU) def. Yu Chen (AU), 6-1, 7-6 (5)
4. Petra Hule (FSU) def. Georgie Axon (AU), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
5. Victoria Allen (FSU) def. Adeline Flach (AU), 6-1, 6-1
6. Andrea Garcia (FSU) vs. Anastasia Astakhova (AU), 3-6, 7-6 (6), unfinished
Order of finish: 5, 2, 3, 4
Doubles
1. #30 Salas/Allen (FSU) def. #69 Axon/Flach (AU), 6-2
2. #8 Das/Garcia (FSU) vs. Ansari/Ovunc (AU), 4-5 unfinished
3. #89 Hule/Pairone (FSU) def. Chen/Astakhova (AU), 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 1
