RALEIGH, N.C.- Auburn's season came to a close on Saturday afternoon after a 4-0 loss to fourth ranked NC State in the NCAA Super Regional in Raleigh, North Carolina. The No. 18 Tigers' postseason run ties the best in program history.
"First, credit to NC State and the program they have built," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said after the match. "Their crowd was terrific and it was so difficult to garner any momentum with the support they had behind them in the stands. There were moments of really good stuff today. When you are on the road against a quality team, capitalizing on windows is what ultimately determines the outcome. We blinked at times, too indecisive and passive."
In doubles, Auburn's top doubles team of Carolyn Ansari and Ariana Arseneault fell to No. 4 Diana Shnaider and Alana Smith by a 6-1 score on court one. Angella Okutoyi and Adeline Flach led most of their match over Abigal Rencheli and Sophie Abrams on court three, but the match was suspended with Okutoyi and Flach leading 5-3 due to a second NC State doubles win on court two. The Wolfpack claimed the doubles point for the 26th time this season to take a 1-0 match lead.
NC State jumped out to an early lead on each of the first five courts in the first set. Okutoyi came back from a first set deficit to claim the first set over 87th ranked Abigail Rencheli 6-4. Arseneault also erased an early deficit in her first set with No. 7 Diana Shnaider to force a tiebreaker on court one, but ultimately dropped the first set in the tiebreaker. After leading the first set early, Flach also dropped her first set in a tiebreaker against Gina Dittmann.
Sophie Abrams' 6-1, 6-1 victory over Kaitlyn Carnicella was the first singles match to finish, which gave the Wolfpack a 2-0 advantage in the match. After dropping her first set, DJ Bennett came back to force a third set on court three against Amelia Rajecki, the 26th ranked player in the country.
Ansari fell to Smith, the 13th ranked singles player in the nation by a 7-5, 6-0 score and moments later Shnaider finished off a two-set win over Arseneault to clinch the team victory for NC State.
Auburn completed their season with a 20-9 overall record and the fourth trip to the NCAA Round of 16 in program history. This season also marks the seventh season that Auburn has reached the 20-win mark.
"The fight is always there with this team," said Coach Lilley. "From the valleys and the mountaintops of our season, the growth is really exciting for the future. As we digest this match as well as others, we will remain consistent in pursuing long-term growth. Our culture is unshakeable and there are some leaders beginning to blossom into taking ownership and embracing responsibility. I am blessed to lead this program, grateful for our staff, and ready to be better tomorrow because of today."
Arseneault and Ansari will participate as individuals in the NCAA singles and doubles competition later this month at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida. The Auburn duo will play as a doubles team and as singles in the event.
#4 NC State 4, #18 Auburn 0
Singles results:
1. #7 Diana Shnaider (NCSU) def. #32 Ariana Arseneaullt (AUB) 7-6 (2), 6-3
2. #13 Alana Smith (NCSU) def. #23 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 7-5, 6-0
3. #26 Amelia Rajecki (NCSU) vs. DJ Bennett (AUB) 6-3, 4-6, 1-1, unfinished
4. #87 Abigail Rencheli (NCSU) vs. Angella Okutoyi (AUB) 4-6, 5-4, unfinished
5. Sophie Abrams (NCSU) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 6-1, 6-1
6. Gina Dittmann (NCSU) vs. Adeline Flach (AUB) 7-6 (4), 4-1, unfinished
Doubles results:
1. #4 Diana Shnaider/Alana Smith (NCSU) def. #31 Carolyn Ansari/Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 6-1
2. #9 Nell Miller/Amelia Rajecki (NCSU) def. DJ Bennett/Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 6-3
3. Angella Okutoyi/Adeline Flach (AUB) vs. Abigail Rencheli/Sophie Abrams (NCSU) 5-3, unfinished
Time of match: 2:21 Order of finish: Doubles: 1,2; Singles: 5,2,1