CARY, N.C. – Auburn players DJ Bennett and Ashton Bowers wrapped up competition Sunday at the ITA All-American Championships at Cary Tennis Park in Cary, North Carolina. Bowers advanced to the main draw consolation semifinals and came within one win of earning a bid to the NCAA Singles Championship before falling Sunday.
Bennett finished in the consolation round of 32 in singles, while the two Tigers together reached the doubles main draw consolation quarterfinals.
“An up-and-down weekend of results,” Auburn assistant coach Pete Francis said. “Lots of positives, lots of negatives and lots of good lessons learned from both girls. Also great for Ashton (Bowers) to get some good wins under her belt and kickstart her career at Auburn. Both have a lot of tournaments coming up in the next few weeks, so it was perfect to get that many matches. We’re looking forward to the rest of the fall.”
Bowers opened singles play with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Virginia Tech’s Ozlem Uslu on Wednesday before being sent to the feed-in consolation bracket Thursday. She responded with two victories Friday over Georgia’s Sofia Rojas and Arkansas’ Carolina Gomez Alonso to reach the consolation quarterfinals. Bowers then defeated California’s Mao Mushika 7-5, 6-3 to move within one match of an NCAA Singles bid, but lost Sunday to Savannah Dada-Mascoll of Appalachian State.
Playing in her first fall event, Bennett entered the singles championship as the No. 1 main draw seed. She dropped her opening match in three sets but rallied for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Oklahoma State’s Gracie Epps in the consolation bracket Thursday.
In doubles, Bennett and Bowers teamed up for their first match as partners at the All-Americans. After a main draw opening-round loss Wednesday, the Auburn pair picked up a win over Arkansas’ Anet Koskel and Gomez Alonso. A walkover advanced them to the consolation semifinals, where they fell to Rice’s Darya Schwartzman and Uma Bakaiyte.
Next up, Auburn will host the ITA Southern Regional Championships at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn, Alabama, from Oct. 13–17. Two NCAA Singles Championship bids and one NCAA Doubles Championship spot will be awarded through the event.
Wednesday Results:
#106 Savannah Dada-Mascroll (APP) def. #1 DJ Bennett (AUB) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
#48 Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. #36 Ozlem Uslu (VT) 6-2, 6-3
#39 Maria Sholokhova/Lucie Urbanova (WIS) def. #3 Ashton Bowers/DJ Bennett (AUB) 6-4, 6-4
Thursday Results:
#34 Leyla Britez Risso (TENN) def. #48 Ashton Bowers (AUB) 6-3, 6-4
#1 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #50 Gracie Epps (OKST) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
#3 DJ Bennett/Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. #78 Anet Koskel/Carolina Gomez Alonso (ARK) 3-6, 7-5, [10-5]
Friday Results:
#39 Carolina Gomez Alonso (ARK) def. #1 DJ Bennett (AUB) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
#48 Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. #100 Sofia Rojas (UGA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
#3 DJ Bennett/Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. #13 Mao Mushika/Laura Cilekova (CAL) Walkover
Saturday Results:
#48 Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Deniz Dilek (UGA) Walkover
#18 Barya Schwartzman/Uma Bakaiyte (RICE) def. #3 DJ Bennett/Ashton Bowers (AUB) 6-3, 6-3
Sunday Results:
#106 Savannah Dada-Mascoll (APP) def. #48 Ashton Bowers (AUB) 6-2, 6-3