No. 25 Auburn used an exciting doubles triumph to propel the Tigers to a 4-0 win over Alabama Sunday afternoon at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn.
"Our doubles were key today," Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds said. "We needed to right the ship after the match at Arkansas, and getting the doubles point was key. Our guys did a really good job of listening to instruction and coaching in doubles, and that shows me they are growing.
"And then to take six first sets – I love that. We have concentrated on ways to build on momentum and make it that much harder for an opponent to come back, and we did that today. There was still a little bit of a lull in our second sets, but we will learn from that.
"I want to be sure to thank our crowd today as well; the crowd was amazing. Their energy helped us a great deal. Our guys play with a lot of passion and the Auburn fans respect that and share that. Crowd support really makes a difference to us."
The Tigers' top tandem of Tad Maclean and Finn Murgett took charge in doubles, posting a 6-4 win over Alabama's No. 28-nationally ranked duo of Filip Planinsek and German Samofalov. After Alabama was a 6-4 winner on court three.
That left the doubles point in the hands of Jan Galka and Tyler Stice on court two. Fighting back, Galka and Stice rallied to tie the match 6-6 and went up 5-0 in the tiebreaker to eventually win 7-6 (7-3). That gave Auburn the doubles point for the 13th time this season.
In singles, Auburn swept all six of the first sets. Tad Maclean posted a 6-3, 6-3 win over German Samofalov on court three for Auburn's first singles point, and Raul Dobai posted a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Patrick Kaukovalta on court four. That left Tyler Stice on court one to seal the match, with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Filip Planinsek for the 4-0 Auburn win. The remaining matches were abandoned.
Auburn is 13-3 for the spring season and 2-1 in SEC play. Alabama is 4-11 overall and 0-3 in SEC action.
Next weekend, Auburn is on the road, playing at No. 12 Kentucky Friday at 4 p.m. in Lexington and then facing No. 41 Vanderbilt Sunday at noon in Nashville.
#25 Auburn 4, Alabama 0
Singles
#83 Tyler Stice (AU) def. Filip Planinsek (UA) 6-2, 7-5
#124 Jan Galka (AU) v Enzo Aguiard (UA) 6-2, 5-5 unfinished
#110 Tad Maclean (AU) def. German Samofalov (UA) 6-3, 6-3
Raul Dobai (AU) def. Patrick Kaukovalta (UA) 6-4, 6-3
Will Nolan (AU) v Juan Martin (UA) 6-4, 4-4 unfinished
Finn Murgett (AU) v Joao Ferreira (UA) 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 unfinished
Doubles
Maclean/Murgett (AU) def. #28 Planinsek/Samofalov (UA) 6-4
Galka/Stice (AU) def. Aguiard/Ferreira (UA) 7-6 (7-3)
Martin/Kaukovalta (UA) def. Dobai/Josh Raab (AU) 6-4
Time of match: 2:32; Order of finish: Doubles: 1,3,2; Singles: 3,4,1; Official: Donna Jerome
