AUBURN, Ala. – No. 9 Auburn was able to take both games of their doubleheader in dominating fashion on Sunday over both Belmont and UAB and was able to claim all twelve singles matches played. The Tigers defeated Belmont 6-1, then shutout UAB 7-0.
"We challenged our team in our first match because we were very disappointed after doubles," Auburn associate head coach Megan Falcon said after the matches concluded. "From then on, they dug deep and treated themselves right. As they embraced being pushed, their level of tennis hinged on their mindset. When you choose to be in the right place, you will steadily improve throughout the day."
In the first game against Belmont, Auburn came out of the gates a little slow. Ali DeSpain and Anastasia Astakhova paired up to play doubles for the first time on court three and won 6-1. Freshman duo Kaitlyn Carnicella and DJ Bennett lost to Abi Solomon and Viktoria Kliimand on court two and Ariana Arseneault and Carolyn Ansari fell to Mariia Hlahola and Anastasiya Zholdakova on court one to give the doubles point to the Bruins.
Ali DeSpain and Anastasia Astakhova take court three in doubles! pic.twitter.com/fthRHZXkhp
— Auburn Women's Tennis (@AuburnWTennis) February 19, 2023
Auburn was able to turn things around in singles play, as the Tigers won all three matches in just two sets. Adeline Flach was the first to finish on court six, as she defeated Libbie Hamilton by a 6-0, 6-1 score. No. 95 Carnicella, who recently moved up in the lineup to court three, defeated Anastasiya Zholdakova by the same score. Bennett claimed the team victory for Auburn when she defeated Viktoria Kliimand by a 6-3, 6-0 score.
After the team win was clinched, freshman Angella Okutoyi took down Taylor Trondson 6-0, 6-4 on court five while No. 103 Ansari defeated Abi Solomon 6-3, 7-5 on court two. Belmont's Mariia Hlahola, who had an impressive 13-5 record entering today's match, played two close sets but ultimately fell to Arseneault 7-6 (2), 7-5.
Additionally, DeSpain battled Belmont's Aly Getty in a side match that was not a part of the team score and won 6-4, 6-3.
It was all Auburn in the second match of the day against UAB. In doubles, Arseneault and Ansari bounced back from their loss earlier in the day to claim a 6-1 victory over Maggie White and Sydney Clarke on court one. Bennett and Carnicella also redeemed themselves from the morning doubles loss by taking down Enya Ratkic and Vanessa Mellynchuck by the same score. Flach and Okutoyi were leading Adela Wasserbauerova and Mackenzie White 5-2 on court two when their match was suspended.
Bennett claimed the first victory of singles over Mackenzie White by a 6-3, 6-3 score followed closely by Arseneault's 6-3, 6-4 win on court one. Carnicella was able to take the team clinching match win on court three over Sydney Clarke after a second-set tiebreaker by a 6-0, 7-6 (0) score.
DJ Bennett takes the first singles match for the Tigers 👍
— Auburn Women's Tennis (@AuburnWTennis) February 19, 2023
Auburn now leads 2-0 over UAB#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/YsQrJWj4NY
Ansari claimed her seventh consecutive singles match victory on court two by defeating Adela Wasserbauerova 6-4, 7-5. In her second dual match since coming to Auburn in January, DeSpain beat Enya Ratkic 6-0, 7-5 on court six.
After taking the first match over Annalisa Smith, Flach dropped the first singles set of the day which forced a third set. Flach took the set 6-4 to claim the 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 victory on court five.
With the two victories, Auburn improves to 9-2 on the season while Belmont falls to 2-7 and UAB falls to 5-4. The Tigers have now won four straight matches dating back to the ITA National Indoor Championship last weekend.
Up next, Auburn will go on the road to play the University of North Florida on Saturday, February 25th at 10:00 a.m. CT.
#9 Auburn 6, Belmont 1
Singles results:
1. #67 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) def. Mariia Hlahola (BELW) 7-6 (7-2), 7-5
2. #103 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. Abi Solomon (BELW) 6-3, 7-5
3. #95 Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) def. A. Zholdakova (BELW) 6-0, 6-1
4. DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Viktoria Kliimand (BELW) 6-3, 6-0
5. Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Taylor Trondson (BELW) 6-0, 6-4
6. Adeline Flach (AUB) def. Libbie Hamilton (BELW) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles results:
1. Mariia Hlahola/A. Zholdakova (BELW) def. #8 Ariana Arseneault/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-4
2. Abi Solomon/Viktoria Kliimand (BELW) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella/DJ Bennett (AUB) 6-3
3. Ali Despain/Anastasia Astakhova (AUB) def. Taylor Trondson/Libbie Hamilton (BELW) 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles: 3,2,1; Singles: 6,3,4,5,2,1
#9 Auburn 7, UAB 0
Singles results:
1. #67 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) def. Maggie White (UAB) 6-3, 6-4
2. #103 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. Adela Wasserbauerova (UAB) 6-4, 7-5
3. #95 Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) def. Sydney Clarke (UAB) 6-0, 7-6 (7-0)
4. DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Mackenzie White (UAB) 6-3, 6-3
5. Adeline Flach (AUB) def. Annalisa Smith (UAB) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
6. Ali Despain (AUB) def. Enya Ratkic (UAB) 6-0, 7-5
Doubles results:
1. #8 Ariana Arseneault/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. Maggie White/Sydney Clarke (UAB) 6-1
2. Angella Okutoyi/Adeline Flach (AUB) vs. Adela Wasserbauerova/Mackenzie White (UAB) 5-2, unfinished
3. DJ Bennett/Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) def. Enya Ratkic/Vanessa Mellynchuk (UAB) 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles 1,3; Singles: 4,1,3,2,6,5