AUBURN, Ala. – No. 14 Auburn opened conference play with a dramatic comeback win over No. 13 Tennessee by a 4-3 final score. Auburn trailed 3-1 at one point during the match, then posted three consecutive singles victories to claim the win and remain undefeated at home. With the team score tied 3-3, senior Finn Murgett came through with a 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-1 win on court three to give the Tigers the team victory.
"The team was resilient tonight, they came out and they fought," Auburn head coach Bobby Reynolds said after the thrilling victory. "You can see what happens when six guys come together and fight to the very end and I couldn't be prouder than I am right now as a coach with Finn [Murgett]. He was fighting some demons and not playing his best tennis in the first set. He just held on, waiting for one opportunity for the tides to turn and when he got locked in, there was nobody else in the country that I wanted in that situation."
In doubles, Auburn got its first win from Tyler Stice and Alejandro Moreno on court three. The Vols' tandem of Angel Diaz and Blaise Bicknell jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Auburn duo rallied to tie the match at 3-3 and eventually claimed a 6-4 win.
Tennessee claimed a back-and-forth doubles match on court one by a 7-5 count, and the Vols won the team point with a 7-6 win on court two by a 7-5 tiebreaker score.
Moreno got the Tigers on the board with a quick 6-1, 6-3 victory over Blaise Bicknell on court two to tie the match at one. Tennessee then got the momentum back by claiming two-set victories on courts one and four to take a 3-1 lead. Auburn then needed to win all three of the remaining matches to take a team victory.
Senior Raul Dobai took down Angel Diaz by a 6-4, 6-3 score on court four, then freshman Billy Blaydes won his match over Tomas Rodriguez after taking the second set in a tiebreaker. Blaydes won by a 6-1, 7-6 (4) score and that tied the match once again at 3-3.
The match on court four between Murgett and Emile Hudd, the 65th best singles player in the country according to the ITA, became the winner-take-all match. Murgett, who was named SEC player of the week on Wednesday, came back from dropping the first set to force a tiebreaker in the second set. The senior claimed the tiebreaker 7-2 to force a third set, which he dominated 6-1 to record his eighth consecutive singles victory and give Auburn the 4-3 win.
"I knew that the person that was going to win the match was the person that was going to be tougher, so I just had to be tougher and stick to my game," Murgett said after his victory. "In the third set I was super aggressive. The boys helped me out on the sideline a lot by getting loud and keeping me calm."
Auburn, with its highest team ranking since 2012, is now 11-2 for the spring season and 7-0 at home. Tennessee now drops to 9-5. Thursday's win also marks the eighth consecutive victory for the Tigers.
Auburn continues SEC play Saturday hosting No. 9 Georgia in a 1 p.m. match at the Yarbrough Tennis Center (1717 Richland Road, Auburn). That will be the fifth consecutive match for the Tigers against a ranked opponent. Admission is free and all fans in attendance will receive an All Auburn, All Orange t-shirt, an orange shaker, and an Auburn rally towel while supplies last.
#14 Auburn 4, #13 Tennessee 3
Singles Results:
1. #14 Johannus Monday (UT) def. #103 Tyler Stice (AUB) 6-3, 6-2
2. Alejandro Moreno (AUB) def. Blaise Bicknell (UT) 6-1, 6-3
3. Finn Murgett (AUB) def. #65 Emile Hudd (UT) 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-1
4. #125 Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Jan Galka (AUB) 6-4, 6-4
5. Raul Dobai (AUB) def. Angel Diaz (UT) 6-4, 6-3
6. Billy Blaydes (AUB) def. Tomas Rodriguez (UT) 6-1, 7-6 (4)
Doubles Results:
1. #32 Pat Harper/Johannus Monday (UT) def. #46 Finn Murgett/Raul Dobai (AUB) 7-5
2. #41 Emile Hudd/Shunsuke Mitsui (UT) def. Jan Galka/Billy Blaydes (AUB) 7-6 (5)
3. Alejandro Moreno/Tyler Stice (AUB) def. Blaise Bicknell/Angel Diaz (UT) 6-4
Time of match: 3:45; Order of finish: Doubles: 3,1,2; Singles: 2,1,4,5,6,3; Official: Donna Jerome