CARY, N.C. – Auburn women's tennis wrapped up four days of competition at the Fall Ranked Spotlight on Sunday. In the event, Auburn players claimed 10 singles victories and Tiger doubles teams picked up three doubles victories.
"Teaching requires a willing pupil, just like coaching requires an unshakeable relationship," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said after the tournament concluded on Sunday. "In order to be the best we can be, we have to know the pulse of our combined unit. The more we pound the stone in how we prepare, the better we will execute as our season progresses. Our preparation will improve, as will our commitment to the details."
Auburn sophomores Kaitlyn Carnicella and DJ Bennett had a strong first day at the Fall Ranked Spotlight on Thursday, as the Tiger duo posted two doubles victories to kick off the tournament. The Auburn doubles team, which finished the 2022-23 season with a 14-6 overall doubles record, earned a 6-3 victory over NC State's Abigail Rencheli and Gabriella Broadfoot as well as a 6-3 win over Kari Miller and Piper Charney of Michigan.
On Friday, 22nd ranked Carolyn Ansari claimed her first singles match of the 2023-24 campaign by winning a ranked match 6-2, 6-1 over No. 70 Alana Wolfberg of Tennessee while No. 104 DJ Bennett also won her first singles match of the fall 7-5, 6-3 over Duke's Ellie Coleman.
After dropping her first-round match, 20th ranked Ariana Arseneault bounced back by upsetting Elza Tomase of Tennessee, ranked No. 17 in singles nationally, by a 6-4, 6-4 score. Kaitlyn Carnicella also earned a 7-5, 1-6, 11-9 victory over Ohio State's Teah Chavez for her fourth singles win of the season.
The Tigers had a difficult day on Saturday, but Bennett won both of her singles matches in three sets. The sophomore defeated Gina Dittman of host school NC State as well as Julia Garcia Ruiz of Oklahoma.
In the final day of the event on Sunday, Auburn's 17th ranked doubles team of Ariana Arseneault and Carolyn Ansari earned their first win of the season in a close match over Virginia's Annabelle Xu and Melodie Collard 7-6 (3). Xu and Collard are ranked 46th in the nation in doubles.
Ansari and Arseneault also earned ranked singles victories over No. 51 Dana Guzman and No. 81 Mahak Jain, respectively, on Sunday while DJ Bennett picked up her fourth singles win of the tournament in two sets over Texas' Nicole Rivkin.
The ITA All-American Championships is the next event on the schedule for Auburn, which will be played from September 30-October 8 in Cary, North Carolina.
Thursday results:
#14 Irina Cantos Siemers/Sydni Ratliff (OSU) def. #17 Ariana Arseneault/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-3
Kaitlyn Carnicella/DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Abigail Rencheli/Gabriella Broadfoot (NCST) 6-3
#10 Ayana Akli/Sarah Hamner (SCAR) def. #17 Ariana Arseneault/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-4
Kaitlyn Carnicella/DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Kari Miller/Piper Charney (MICH) 6-3
Friday results:
#22 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. #70 Alana Wolfberg (TEN) 6-2, 6-1
#72 Abigail Rencheli (NCST) def. #20 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
#104 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Ellie Coleman (DUKE) 7-5, 6-3
#110 Sophie Abrams (NCST) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4
#10 Amelia Rajecki (NCST) def. Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
#20 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) def. #17 Elza Tomase (TEN) 6-4, 6-4
Snow Han (USC) def. #104 DJ Bennett (AUB) 7-6 (3), 6-4
Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) def. Teah Chavez (OSU) 7-5, 1-6, 11-9
Saturday results:
#74 Charlotte Chavatipon (TEX) def. #20 Ariana Arseneault 7-6 (3), 6-4
#22 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. #30 Abbey Forbes 4-1 (ret.)
Marianna Argyrokastriti (ASU) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 6-4, 3-6, 10-6
#104 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Gina Dittmann (NCST) 4-6, 6-3, 10-2
#18 Tanya Sasnouskaya (TEX) def. #22 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-0, 6-3
#7 Ayana Akli (SCAR) def. #20 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 6-1, 6-2
Marianna Argyrokastriti (ASU) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 6-4, 3-6, 10-6
#104 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Julia Garcia Ruiz (OKLA) 6-2, 6-7(3), 10-2
Sunday results:
#17 Ariana Arseneault/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. #46 Annabelle Xu/Melodie Collard (UVA) 7-6 (3)
Emma Jackson/Ellie Coleman (DUKE) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella/DJ Bennett (AUB) 6-3
#22 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. #51 Dana Guzman (OKLA) 6-4, 0-6, 10-4
#20 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) def. #81 Mahak Jain (GT) 6-4, 6-2
#104 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Nicole Rivkin (TEX) 6-0, 6-2
Emma Charney (USC) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 6-2, 6-3
Piper Charney (MICH) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 6-2, 6-4