AUBURN, Ala. – No. 12 Women's tennis will aim to remain perfect in Southeastern Conference matches this season, playing host to Missouri and Arkansas over the weekend. Auburn will face Missouri on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT and Arkansas on Sunday at noon CT. Both matches will be held on the outdoor courts at the Yarbrough Tennis Center, weather permitting.
"I'm confident that our players are going to use these matches to improve and focus on the things that we have been focusing on and continue this momentum," said Auburn interim head coach Lester Cook. "The singles lineup is still fluid, I think that the girls at the top of the lineup are doing a great job of taking care of business. Near the bottom of the lineup, we're still figuring out what is going to get points on the board for us. We are getting in a groove and trending upward."
Auburn defeated Kentucky 5-2 on Friday and prevailed in a dramatic match against Vanderbilt 4-3 on Sunday to start the conference schedule strong and improve its record to 8-5. Senior Ariana Arseneault had a successful weekend for the Tigers, winning both of her doubles matches alongside DJ Bennett at the No. 1 position as well as both singles matches in straight sets, including the match clinching victory against the Commodores.
In the latest singles rankings from the ITA that were released on Tuesday, Carolyn Ansari remained in the nation's top 20 at No. 14, DJ Bennett checked in at No. 64 and Arseneault moved up three spots to 70th.
Missouri will enter Friday's match with a 4-10 overall record and a 0-2 record in the SEC. Auburn has won all 10 matches in the series, with the most recent meeting being a 4-0 Auburn win last season in Springfield, Missouri.
Auburn's Sunday opponent, Arkansas, currently holds a 7-5 overall record and lost each of its last two matches to open conference play to Tennessee and Georgia. The Razorbacks are ranked 50th in the ITA team rankings.
Morgan Cross and Indianna Spink are ranked No. 25 in the nation in doubles and holds an 11-3 overall record this season. The Arkansas duo has started a perfect 4-0 in dual matches this spring at the top of the Razorback doubles lineup.
Fans at Friday afternoon's match will receive a free Auburn women's tennis visor while supplies last. Fans are also encouraged to enjoy post-spring break relaxation at the Yarbrough Tennis Center on Sunday with free Kona Ice during the doubles point.
Live video and live scoring of both matches will be available online at AuburnTigers.com.
