MADISON, Wis. – It was a strong bounce-back for the 14th-ranked Auburn women's tennis team as they earned a 4-1 win over No. 16 Washington Saturday at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships.
The Tigers (8-1) got back in the win column by claiming the doubles point and earning three straight-set wins in singles.
"One thing this team never wavers from is the willingness to find a response," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "Setting a tone with your stinginess while giving yourself the freedom to play the style of tennis you know will make you better is a choice.
"The strength of this team is in our willingness to make those around us better. Tomorrow we will strive to play with the same conviction, treating ourselves in a way that ensures we play better the longer the match goes."
Auburn got on the board quickly with two wins in doubles. Madeline Meredith and Carolyn Ansari defeated Kelly Leung and Zoey Weil, 6-2, on court three, then Georgie Axon and Adeline Flach secured the doubles point with a 6-2 win over Sarah-Maude Fortin and Nika Zupancic at the No. 2 spot. Auburn's 43rd-ranked tandem of Ariana Arseneault and Selin Ovunc were trailing 5-2 when play was halted.
In singles, Yu Chen made quick work of Leung at the No. 6 singles spot, 6-0, 6-2, to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Washington got on the board as Fortin downed 116th-ranked Arseneault, 6-1, 6-3, at the second singles spot. But Axon would get that point back with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Tara Chilton on court five, and 125th-ranked Ansari downed No. 98 Zupancic 7-5, 6-1, to clinch the victory for the Tigers.
Ovunc had dropped her first set after a 10-8 tiebreaker and was 2-2 in the second set, and Flach was trailing 4-6, 2-5, when the match was clinched.
Auburn will wrap up its week at the ITA National Indoors with a 9 a.m. CT Sunday match against No. 11 Ohio State.
ITA National Team Indoor Championships
Consolation – Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022
#14 Auburn 4, #16 Washington 1
Singles
1. #49 Selin Ovunc (AU) vs. Vanessa Wong (UW), 6-7 (8), 2-2 unfinished
2. Sarah-Maude Fortin (UW) def. #116 Ariana Arseneault (AU), 6-1, 6-3
3. #125 Carolyn Ansari (AU) def. #98 Nika Zupancic (UW), 7-5, 6-1
4. Adeline Flach (AU) vs. Hikaru Sato (UW), 4-6, 2-5 unfinished
5. Georgie Axon (AU) def. Tara Chilton (UW), 6-4, 6-1
6. Yu Chen (AU) def. Kelly Leung (UW), 6-0, 6-2
Order of finish: 6, 2, 5, 3
Doubles
1. #43 Arseneault/Ovunc (AU) vs. Sato/Wong (UW), 2-5 unfinished
2. Axon/Flach (AU) def. Fortin/Zupancic (UW), 6-2
3. Meredith/Ansari (AU) def. Leung/Weil (UW), 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2
