AUBURN, Ala. – The 25th-ranked Auburn women's tennis team started the 2019 spring season on a high note with a pair of 7-0 wins over Alabama A&M and Mercer on Saturday.
The Tigers (2-0) did not drop a set over 12 singles matches and six doubles matches, and nine of the 10 players on Auburn's roster saw action on the opening day of the season.
"Obviously I'm very pleased with the outcome and score," Auburn head coach Lauren Spencer said. "We worked through some nerves and got some points on the board. I thought the energy and effort in doubles was great; I've seen such an improvement from our returners in their doubles game. I'm really excited about our doubles lineup. Overall, I'm very pleased, and I think it was a good day. We have to be ready for a very good Central Arkansas team in the morning."
In the morning's first match, Auburn made it a clean sweep of Alabama A&M with a 7-0 win that lasted just under two hours.
Sophomore Jaeda Daniel posted a clean sheet in both of her matches, earning a quick 6-0, 6-0 win over Beatriz Gutierrez at the No. 1 spot in singles. She also teamed with sophomore Madeline Meredith for a 6-0 doubles win at the No. 2 slot.
The 14th-ranked team of junior Taylor Russo and Sophia Graver posed a 6-1 win at the top spot in doubles, and the team of freshman Yu Chen and sophomore Lindsay Song breezed to a 6-0 win at No. 3 doubles.
Meredith and Chen both posted wins with Meredith earning a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles and Chen posted a 6-2, 6-0 win on court 3. Caroline Turner kicked off her senior season with a 6-2, 6-1 win on court four. Sophomore Lindsay Song was a 6-1, 6-1 winner at the fifth spot, and freshman Annabella Bowen fought back from a 5-2 deficit in the first set on court six to post a 7-5, 6-2 win.
In the afternoon match against Mercer, the Tigers again claimed the doubles point with wins from Graver/Russo on court 1 (6-3) and Meredith/Daniel on court 2 (6-3). Chen and senior Alannah Griffin teamed up on court 3 for a 6-4 win.
Chen got the first singles point for Auburn with a 6-1, 6-0 win at the No. 6 spot. Graver then blanked her opponent in the second set for a 6-4, 6-0 win on court 3, and a 6-3, 6-1 win from Griffin at the No. 5 spot clinched the win for the Tigers.
Russo earned her first singles win of the spring with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4, and Meredith improved to 2-0 with a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 2. Daniel fought off a challenge from Mercer's Katie Sidor to finish off the sweep with a 6-3, 6-3 win on court 1.
"A lot of our players haven't been able to play," Spencer said. "Maddie hasn't played a match since September. Alannah hasn't played a match all year. Obviously Yu Chen hasn't played, and Sophie was on and off. So we had a lot of players that just really needed to get out there and compete to settle themselves in."
Auburn will play two more matches Sunday. The Tigers will begin the day at 9 a.m. CT against Central Arkansas, then after Alabama A&M faces Mercer, Auburn will play Mercer again later in the day Sunday. All matches will be played indoors.
For the latest on Auburn Women's Tennis, including updated match times this weekend, follow @AuburnWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
#25 Auburn 7, Alabama A&M 0
Singles
1. #61 Jaeda Daniel (AU) def. Beatriz Gutierrez (AAMU), 6-0, 6-0
2. Madeline Meredith (AU) def. Jasmine Boyd (AAMU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Yu Chen (AU) def. Ximena Duarte Ramrez (AAMU), 6-2, 6-0
4. Caroline Turner (AU) def. Anitz Bozhko (AAMU), 6-2, 6-1
5. Lindsay Song (AU) def. Rida Khalid (AAMU), 6-1, 6-1
6. Annabella Bowen (AU) def. India Woods (AAMU), 7-5, 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 4, 2, 5, 3, 6
Doubles
1. #14 Graver/Russo (AU) def. Bozhko/Khalid (AAMU), 6-1
2. Daniel/Meredith (AU) def. Ramirez/Boyd (AAMU), 6-0
3. Song/Chen (AU) def. Woods/Guttierez (AAMU), 6-0
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Time: 1:54
Match played indoors
#25 Auburn 7, Mercer 0
Singles
1. #61 Jaeda Daniel (AU) def. Katie Sidor (MER), 6-3, 6-3
2. Madeline Meredith (AU) def. Marie Mottet (MER), 6-3, 6-1
3. Sophia Graver (AU) def. Celine Schepers (MER), 6-4, 6-0
4. Taylor Russo (AU) def. Maeva Roquebert (MER), 6-2, 6-3
5. Alannah Griffin (AU) def. Anna Sovic (MER), 6-3, 6-1
6. Yu Chen (AU) def. Christie Cesarini (MER), 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 3, 5, 4, 2, 1
Doubles
1. #14 Graver/Russo (AU) def. Sidor/Mottet (MER), 6-3
2. Meredith/Daniel (AU) def. Hollyfield/Schepers (MER), 6-3
3. Chen/Griffin (AU) def. Cesarini/Sovic (MER), 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Time: 2:01
Match played indoors
No. 25 Auburn earns 7-0 sweeps over Alabama A&M, Mercer
