SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – No. 12 Auburn defeated Missouri in its final regular season road match of the 2023 season by a 4-0 final score on Sunday.
"We started the match really well today," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said after the road win. "When our opponents find responses and we embrace the competitive standard, we will only get better the longer the match goes on. There is so much in a tennis match that isn't within our control. The true test is how well we handle those areas we can control. Doing the little things well over and over makes all the difference when it matters most."
Adeline Flach and Angella Okutoyi got the day started for Auburn by defeating Andrea Artimedi and Emelie Schwarte by a 6-4 score. A few minutes later, Ali DeSpain and Kaitlyn Carnicella won their first match as a doubles team, as they defeated Romary Cardenas and Eleanor Fay 6-3. The top doubles team of Ariana Arseneault and Carolyn Ansari was leading 5-2 on court one when the match was suspended.
Auburn started off singles play hot with first set wins on five of the six courts. DeSpain earned her first SEC dual match win since joining the Tigers with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory over Eleanor Fay. Ariana Arseneault picked up her 12th dual singles match win just moments later on court two over Emelie Schwarte in two sets.
With Auburn needing just one more singles match win to claim a team victory, Missouri forced a third set on courts one, four and five while Carnicella forced a third set on court three.
Okutoyi was the Tiger that eventually broke through with a convincing third set to post a 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 win on court four. The freshman's 12th dual singles victory clinched the team win for Auburn.
With the victory, Auburn improves to 17-6 overall and 7-4 in the SEC with just two regular season matches remaining. Missouri falls to 10-14 on the season and 1-11 in conference play. Auburn has now won all 10 meetings since Missouri joined the SEC in 2013.
Auburn will return home to the Yarbrough Tennis Center and battle No. 27 South Carolina at 3 p.m. CT. Live video and live scoring of the match will be available online at AuburnTigers.com.
#12 Auburn 4, Missouri 0
Singles Results:
#36 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) vs. #89 Mae Canete (MIZ) 7-6 (3), 4-6, 1-0, unfinished
#44 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) def. Emelie Schwarte (MIZ) 6-4, 6-4
Inah Canete (MIZ) vs. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 7-5, 3-6, 2-1, unfinished
Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Andrea Artimedi (MIZ) 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
Adeline Flach (AUB) vs. Romary Cardenas (MIZ) 6-4, 3-6, 4-4, unfinished
Ali DeSpain (AUB) def. Eleanor Fay (MIZ) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles Results:
#26 Carolyn Ansari/Ariana Arseneault (AUB) vs. Inah Canete/Mae Canete (MIZ) 5-2, unfinished
Adeline Flach/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Andrea Artimedi/Emelie Schwarte (MIZ) 6-4
Kaitlyn Carnicella/Ali DeSpain (AUB) def. Romary Cardenas/Eleanor Fay (MIZ) 6-3
Time of match: 3:00 Order of finish: Doubles: 2,3; Singles: 6,2,4