FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Auburn battled Ole Miss for more than three hours Thursday morning, but the 16th-ranked Tigers came up just short with a 4-3 loss in the second round of the SEC Women's Tennis Championship.
Ole Miss jumped out to a 3-0 lead, claiming the doubles point and two singles matches, but Auburn fought back to tie the match at 3-3. A three-setter in the last remaining match, however, went the Rebels' way.
"I know our team wanted to perform better," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "Sometimes when you want something so badly you end up being in your own way.
"As a staff, Megan and I have a lot of solutions to find over the next two weeks as we prepare for the NCAA Tournament. Disappointment can lead to exceptional growth when you choose for it to."
The doubles point went to Ole Miss after a tough fight from both teams. Auburn jumped out quickly with a 6-0 win on court 3 from DJ Bennett and Kaitlyn Carnicella. Ole Miss fought back, winning court 2 as Adeline Flach and Angella Okutoyi fell 6-3.
It came down to court 1, where Ariana Arseneault and Carolyn Ansari got a break at 4-2 and a hold in the next game to even the match at 4-all, but the Rebels were able to hold and then break to take the match 6-4 and claim a 1-0 lead.
Ole Miss would make it 2-0 as Flach came up short to Reka Zadori on court 6, 6-4, 6-3. It would be 3-0 after Rachel Krzyzak outlasted Carnicella in a three-setter, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.
Bennett would provide the first Tiger point with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at the No. 3 position to make it 2-1. Shortly thereafter, 35th-ranked Arseneault finished off a three-set win over Ludmila Kareisova, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. And 19th-ranked Ansari would tie the score 3-3 with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Lillian Gabrielsen.
Much like the regular-season meeting between the teams, it came down to a three-set thriller in the final match. Trailing 5-2 in the final set, Okutoyi won three straight games to pull back even at 5-5. But after her opponent held to make it 6-5, Okutoyi was unable to hold and force a tiebreaker, falling 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 to Emma Kette.
Auburn (18-8) will await their postseason destination and opponent as the NCAA Tennis Championships selection announcement is set for May 1. The tournament begins at campus sites the weekend of May 5-7.
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(12) Ole Miss 4, (5) Auburn 3
SEC Tournament Second Round
Singles
1. #35 Ariana Arseneault (AU) def. Ludmila Kareisova (OM), 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
2. #19 Carolyn Ansari (AU) def. Lillian Gabriensen (OM), 7-6 (5), 6-4
3. DJ Bennett (AU) def. Annaelle Leclercq (OM), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
4. Emma Kette (OM) def. Angella Okutoyi (AU), 2-6, 7-5, 7-5
5. Rachel Krzyzak (OM) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AU), 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
6. Reka Zadori (OM) def. Adeline Flach (AU), 6-4, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 5, 3, 1, 2, 4
Doubles
1. Mize/Gabrielsen (OM) def. #30 Arseneault/Ansari (AU), 6-4
2. Leclercq/Krzyzak (OM) def. Flach/Okutoyi (AU), 6-3
3. Bennett/Carnicella (AU) def. Kareisova/Kette (OM), 6-0
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1