GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 13 Auburn fell for the first time in conference play this season on the road against Florida, losing by a 4-1 final score at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville on Friday. The match was the second time the two teams had faced each other this season, as the Tigers defeated the then-No. 8 Gators 4-0 at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in February.
DJ Bennett claimed her team-best 11th dual match victory against No. 79 Carly Briggs in the team loss.
Florida had a good start in doubles, winning 6-0 on court one and winning the last three straight games on court two for a 6-3 win. Auburn's top doubles team of Ariana Arseneault and Bennett were leading Malwina Rowinska and Alicia Dudeney 5-2 when the match was abandoned.
In singles, Bennett and Adeline Flach were the only Tigers to earn opening set victories. Flach won her first set against Qavia Lopez after dropping the first two games.
Florida won two matches in straight sets on courts one and six to increase its lead to 3-0, but the Tigers kept battling. Arseneault claimed a dominant second set 6-1 against No. 80 Sara Dahlstrom while Selin Ovunc earned a second set win to force a decisive third set in each of their respective matches.
Auburn received its first point of the match on court three where Bennett cruised through her third set to defeat Briggs by a 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 score. The win marked Bennett's fifth singles win over a ranked opponent this season.
Shortly after Bennett's win, Lopez took down Flach in three sets to clinch the team win for the Gators.
Auburn will travel to play No. 19 South Carolina in Columbia on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT. Live video and scoring of the match will be available online at gamecocksonline.com.
#16 Florida 4, #13 Auburn 1
Singles Results:
1. #45 Rachel Gailis (UF) def. #14 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-2, 6-3
2. #80 Sara Dahlstrom (UF) vs. #70 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 6-2, 1-6, 4-4, unfinished
3. #64 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #79 Carly Briggs (UF) 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
4. Alicia Dudeney (UF) vs. Selin Ovunc (AUB) 6-4, 4-6, 2-0, unfinished
5. Qavia Lopez (UF) def. Adeline Flach (AUB) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Malwina Rowinska (UF) def. Ali DeSpain (AUB) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles Results:
1. Malwina Rowinska/Alicia Dudeney (UF) vs. #19 DJ Bennett/Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 2-5, unfinished
2. Qavia Lopez/Carly Briggs (UF) def. Selin Ovunc/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 6-3
3. Rachel Gailis/Bente Spee (UF) def. Adeline Flach/Ali DeSpain (AUB) 6-0
Order of finish: Dobules: 3,2; Singles: 1,6,3,5
