AUBURN, Ala. – No. 12 Auburn shut out Arkansas for its fifth consecutive victory on Sunday afternoon at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The Tigers remain perfect in the SEC this season at 4-0 as well as in home matches at 6-0.
"I was really impressed with the tennis today," Auburn interim head coach Lester Cook said after the match. "Arkansas is a good team and they've had some good wins. Everything we've been working on is starting to click and it showed today because they played great. The momentum is on our side right now and as we head into more SEC play, this is exciting."
Auburn had no issues in the doubles point, earning two quick wins on courts one and two. After taking an early 3-0 lead on court one, Ariana Arseneault and DJ Bennett earned their highest ranked doubles victory paired together over 25th ranked Morgan Cross and Indianna Spink 6-2.
Adeline Flach and Angella Okutoyi clinched the doubles point for the Tigers by defeating Grace O'Donnell and Lenka Stara 6-2 for their third straight doubles win.
The Tigers carried their momentum from doubles into singles, claiming the first set on all six courts. Bennett blanked Cross in her first set on court three while Okutoyi and Selin Ovunc both won the first three games in each of their respective opening sets before claiming them 6-1.
Bennett became the first singles match to finish for the second time during the weekend, defeating Cross 6-0, 6-2. The sophomore's win makes her the first Tiger to reach 10 dual singles wins this season. Shortly after Bennett's win, Okutoyi also won her match in straight sets over Lenka Stara 6-1, 6-2 to give Auburn a 3-0 lead and put the team within one singles match victory of a team win.
When the score became 3-0, Carolyn Ansari and Arseneault each had late leads in each of their respective second sets. With Arseneault's set being forced into a tiebreaker, Ansari clinched the match win for the Tigers, defeating No. 48 Carolina Gomez Alonzo 6-3, 6-2. The win marks the fifth-year senior's 11th ranked singles win of the season and improved her overall singles record to 14-7.
Auburn will face its first road conference match of the season against Florida in Gainesville on Friday. The match against the Gators is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. CT.
#12 Auburn 4, #50 Arkansas 0
Singles Results:
1. #14 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. #48 Carolina Gomez (ARK) 6-3, 6-2
2. #70 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) vs. Kelly Keller (ARK) 6-3, 6-6 (2-2), unfinished
3. #64 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Morgan Cross (ARK) 6-0, 6-2
4. Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Lenka Stara (ARK) 6-1, 6-2
5. Selin Ovunc (AUB) vs. Kacie Harvey (ARK) 6-1, 2-6, 1-0, unfinished
6. Adeline Flach (AUB) vs. Anet Koskel (ARK) 6-4, 4-3, unfinished
Doubles Results:
1. #19 Ariana Arseneault/DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #25 Morgan Cross/Indianna Spink (ARK) 6-2
2. Adeline Flach/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Grace O'Donnell/Lenka Stara (ARK) 6-2
3. Carolyn Ansari/Selin Ovunc (AUB) vs. Carolina Gomez/Anet Koskel (ARK) 4-3, unfinished
Time of match: 2:08; Order of finish: Doubles: 1,2; Singles: 3,4,1; Official: Chris Rodger