CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 11 Auburn fell in its first dual match of the season 6-1 to No. 1 North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday.
In doubles, Ariana Arsenault and Angella Okutoyi started strong on court one against Fiona Crawley and Carson Tanguilig, the 23rd ranked doubles team in the country. The Auburn duo led four games to two at one point in the match and was leading five games to four when the match ended due to North Carolina claiming wins on courts two and three to take the doubles point.
The Tigers had a slow start during singles, winning the opening set on one of the six courts. No. 122 Selin Ovunc won the first set of her match on court five convincingly over 41st ranked Abbey Forbes 6-3.
The Tar Heels then clinched the match win by closing out straight-set victories on courts three, one and six to take a 4-0 lead.
Ovunc finished off her 6-3, 7-5 upset win over Forbes to give Auburn its first point of the match and make the score 4-1. After a difficult first set on court four, Okutoyi fought to force her second set into a tiebreaker, but ultimately fell to Tanguilig. The seventh ranked singles player in the nation, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
With the second set tied at five games each, Arseneault and No. 5 Reese Brantmeier exchanged games to force a tiebreaker. Arseneault won the tiebreaker 7-5, but lost the tight match 4-6, 7-6 (5), 8-10.
The win improves North Carolina's record to 3-0 and the loss drops Auburn to 0-1. Up next, the Tigers will take part in ITA Kickoff Weekend in Durham, North Carolina, and compete for a spot in the 2024 ITA National Indoor Championships. Auburn's first opponent in the event will be Denver on Friday, January 26th before facing Duke or Princeton the following day.
#1 North Carolina 6, #11 Auburn 1
Singles Results:
1. Fiona Crawley (UNC) def. #8 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-3, 6-3
2. #5 Reese Brantmeier (UNC) def. Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 10-8
3. #44 Elizabeth Scotty (UNC) def. #34 DJ Bennett (AUB) 6-3, 6-2
4. #7 Carson Tanguilig (UNC) def. Angella Okutoyi (AUB) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
5. #122 Selin Ovunc (AUB) def. #41 Abbey Forbes (UNC) 6-3, 7-5
6. #28 Reilly Tran (UNC) def. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 6-0, 6-4
Doubles Results:
1. #23 Fiona Crawley/Carson Tanguilig (NC) vs. Ariana Arseneault/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) 4-5, unfinished
2. #1 Reese Brantmeier/Elizabeth Scotty (NC) def. Selin Ovunc/Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) 6-2
3. #11 Abbey Forbes/Reilly Tran (NC) def. DJ Bennett/Adeline Flach (AUB) 6-3
Time of match: 2:50; Order of finish: Doubles: 2,3; Singles: 3,1,6,5,4,2
