BATON ROUGE, La. – Auburn's Ashton Bowers defended her title at the ITA Southern Regional Championships and earned a spot in the NCAA Singles Championship, beating LSU's Addison Lanton 7-5, 6-4 in Monday's final at the LSU Tennis Complex.
Bowers, the top seed, dropped just one set all week. She opened Friday with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Lauren Seye, then came back from a first-set loss to beat Klara Kajabova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. She followed with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Nada Fouad on Saturday and a 6-4, 6-2 win over Andrea Nova on Sunday. Monday's meeting with Lanton was a rematch of last year's semifinal, which Bowers also won.
Auburn sent four players to Baton Rouge, and all four entered the main draw directly without qualifying. Natalie Outcalt opened with a 6-2, 7-6 win over Kristyna Damaskova before falling to Mississippi State's Gianna Oboniye 6-3, 6-3. Kaya Moe won two three-set matches on Friday, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 over Emma Ascanio Tarife and 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 over Mia Robinson, before LSU's Tegan Bush beat her 6-4, 7-6 on Saturday. Ava Esposito beat Alexandra Patton 6-2, 6-1 before LSU's Kinaa Graham came back to win 6-1, 0-6, 6-4.
In doubles, Bowers and Esposito beat Haouas/Namyslo 8-4 on Saturday before falling to LSU's El Aouni/Fouad 8-4 on Sunday. Outcalt and Moe dropped an 8-7 decision to Alabama's Muelle/Roso on Saturday.
"Congratulations to Ashton for defending her title and winning the Southern Regional to qualify for the NCAAs," Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo said. "It's not easy as the top seed having a target on her back or winning a tournament in general. In the big moments she was poised and found a way to play better tennis than her opponents. Excited to see her play in Athens later this fall."
Auburn will next compete at the ITF W50 Austin, beginning Oct. 19 at the Courtyard Racquet Club in Austin, Texas.
Friday Results:
Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Lauren Seye (MSU) 6-0, 6-2
Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Klara Kajabova (UA) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Natalie Outcalt (AUB) def. Kristyna Damaskova (UA) 6-2, 7-6
Gianna Oboniye (MSU) def. Natalie Outcalt (AUB) 6-3, 6-3
Kaya Moe (AUB) def. Emma Ascanio Tarife (UA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Kaya Moe (AUB) def. Mia Robinson (MSU) 6-7, 7-6, 7-5
Ava Esposito (AUB) def. Alexandra Patton (LAT) 6-2, 6-1
Kinaa Graham (LSU) def. Ava Esposito (AUB) 6-1, 0-6, 6-4
Saturday Results:
Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Nada Fouad (LSU) 7-5, 6-3
Tegan Bush (LSU) def. Kaya Moe (AUB) 6-4, 7-6
Bowers/Esposito (AUB) def. Haouas/Namyslo (TU) 8-4
Muelle/Roso (UA) def. Outcalt/Moe (AUB) 8-7
Sunday Results:
Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Andrea Nova (UM) 6-4, 6-2
El Aouni/Fouad (LSU) def. Bowers/Esposito (AUB) 8-4
Monday Results:
Ashton Bowers (AUB) def. Addison Lanton (LSU) 7-5, 6-4