AUSTIN, Texas – Auburn saw one of its best women's tennis seasons in program history come to an end Friday as the 14th-ranked Tigers fell at No. 3 Texas 4-1 in the NCAA Super Regional.
Auburn claimed the doubles point, but the defending national champion Longhorns were too much in singles, winning in straight sets on four courts to close out the match.
"Really tough way to end our season," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "We played a solid doubles point, played within ourselves and stuck with the style we work on in practice. In singles today, we just had too many holes. Texas did some good things, and when we choose to play ourselves and our opponents, we make our lives exceptionally difficult. Uncharacteristic of this group, but an opportunity to learn and move forward with conviction for all involved."
The Tigers finished the season 22-6, matching their deepest run into the postseason as they advanced to the round of 16 for the third time.
"The foundation is set and we are excited looking into next year and beyond," Lilley said. "We have some tremendous players joining us, young women with character and a ton of upside. As we close this chapter we celebrate the progress that has been made, and we allow this disappointment to motivate us to work hard to be a different team come next May."
Auburn had the upper hand after doubles. Georgie Axon and Adeline Flach earned their first win over a ranked opponent this spring, defeating No. 67 Chavatipon and Collins, 6-2.
Just seconds later, Carolyn Ansari and Madeline Meredith finished off a 6-4 win over Zeynalova and Ovrootsky, fighting off a Longhorn comeback after the Tiger tandem had jumped out to an early lead. Auburn's ninth-ranked team of Selin Ovunc and Ariana Arseneault were trailing 4-3 to the 11th-ranked Texas team of Stearns and Zamarripa when play was halted.
Texas evened the match at 1-1 as No. 2-ranked Peyton Stearns downed No. 34 Ovunc at the top spot, 6-1, 6-3. Shortly thereafter, the Longhorns moved ahead as Axon fell to Charlotte Chavatipon at the No. 4 spot, 6-2, 6-3.
The Longhorns picked up their third point on court five as Yu Chen dropped a 6-4, 6-1 decision to Allura Zamarippa. On court three, No. 114 Ansari, after dropping her first set, had pushed No. 93 Sabina Zeynalova to the brink of a third set. But Zeynalova rallied to win in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, to end the match.
No. 75 Arseneault had won her first set and was on the verge of clinching her match over No. 49 Kylie Collins, leading 6-2, 5-5 when the match ended. Flach was trailing Vivian Ovrootsky 1-6, 5-6 on court six as play was stopped.
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NCAA Super Regional – Austin, Texas
#3 Texas 4, #14 Auburn 1
Singles
1. #2 Peyton Stearns (TEX) def. #34 Selin Ovunc (AU), 6-1, 6-3
2. #75 Ariana Arseneault (AU) vs. #49 Kylie Collins (TEX), 6-2, 5-5 unfinished
3. #93 Sabina Zeynalova (TEX) def. #114 Carolyn Ansari (AU), 6-1, 7-5
4. Charlotte Chavatipon (TEX) def. Georgie Axon (AU), 6-2, 6-3
5. Allura Zamarippa (TEX) def. Yu Chen (AU), 6-4, 6-1
6. Adeline Flach (AU) vs. Vivian Ovrootsky (TEX), 1-6, 5-6 unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 4, 5, 3
Doubles
1. #9 Ovunc/Arseneault (AU) vs. #11 Stearns/Zamarripa (TEX), 3-4 unfinished
2. Axon/Flach (AU) def. #67 Chavatipon/Collins (TEX), 6-2
3. Ansari/Meredith (AU) def. Zeynalova/Ovrootsky (TEX), 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 3
