MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The 31st-ranked Auburn women's tennis team wrapped up their weekend at the Blue-Gray National Tennis Classic, dropping a pair of matches Saturday at Lagoon Park.
The Tigers (7-3) fell to No. 19 Wake Forest 4-1 in the morning, then finished off the week with a 4-2 setback to Yale.
"In both our matches today we had so many opportunities," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "We put ourselves in great positions, earned the windows we wanted, and just didn't capitalize. Against teams that compete well we have to be willing to trust our training to execute down the stretch like we are capable.
"Against Yale we needed a better response across the board. We need everyone finding a way to be gritty – not just some, but all. Our season is far from over as there is certainly a lot of tennis left to be played, and we will get back to work this week preparing for some home matches next weekend."
Auburn vs. Wake Forest
The Tigers started the day behind 1-0 after dropping the doubles point Friday night. The Demon Deacons quickly made it 3-0 as Auburn fell on courts 5 and 6 – Carolyn Ansari lost in a second-set tiebreaker, 6-2, 7-6, and Caraline Scheufler dropped a 6-1, 6-0 decision.
But Auburn responded with a win on court 3 from Yu Chen, who defeated Saby Nihalani 6-2, 7-6, to put the Tigers on the board. The remaining three matches went to a third set, and Auburn had a chance to win in all three. But 29th-ranked Carolyn Campana outlasted Auburn's 78th-ranked Taylor Russo on court 1, 6-0, 6-7, 7-5, to clinch the win for Wake. Selin Ovunc and Georgie Axon were both leading in the third sets of their matches when play was halted.
Auburn vs. Yale
The Tigers came up short in a hotly contested doubles point. After Ansari and Lindsay Song fell 6-2 on court 3, the top two courts came down to the wire. Axon and Madeline Meredith went to a tiebreaker against Yale's Kung and Lin, but came up short 7-6 as the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead. Russo and Ovunc, ranked No. 9 nationally, were down 6-5 against Yale's No. 3-ranked duo of Martinelli and Gong when doubles was suspended.
In singles, Yale took a 2-0 lead as 46th-ranked Samantha Martinelli downed Russo on court 1, 6-2, 6-2. But Auburn tied the match with wins on courts 2 and 4. Ovunc picked up a straight-set win over Chelsea Kung, 6-2, 6-4, and Axon defeated Rena Lin 6-4, 6-3, to even the team score at 2-2.
Yale then moved back ahead 3-2 as Meredith fell on court 6, 6-2, 6-3. The Bulldogs clinched the win in three sets on court 3 as Chen fell to Caroline Dunleavy, 6-4, 1-6, 6-0. Ansari had just begun the third set of her match when the competition ended.
Up Next
Auburn will open SEC play next weekend with a pair of home matches at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The Tigers will host No. 30 South Carolina at 3 p.m. Friday before welcoming No. 41 Florida at noon Sunday. Admission is free to all Auburn home tennis matches.
For the latest on Auburn Women's Tennis, follow @AuburnWTennis on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Auburn Women's Tennis Results – Feb. 22, 2020
Blue-Gray National Tennis Classic (Montgomery, Ala.)
#19 Wake Forest 4, #31 Auburn 1
Singles
1. #29 Carolyn Campana (WF) def. #78 Taylor Russo (AU), 6-0, 6-7, 7-5
2. Selin Ovunc (AU) vs. #79 Eliza Omirou (WF), 6-2, 6-7, 4-3 unfinished
3. Yu Chen (AU) def. Saby Nihalani (WF), 6-2, 7-6
4. Georgie Axon (AU) vs. Anna Campana (WF), 6-7, 6-1, 5-3 unfinished
5. Chandler Carter (WF) def. Carolyn Ansari (AU), 6-2, 7-6
6. Alexis Franco (WF) def. Caraline Scheufler (AU), 6-1, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 5, 3, 1
Doubles (played Friday)
1. #8 Omirou/Meredith (WF) def. #9 Russo/Ovunc (AU), 6-3
2. Meredith/Axon (AU) vs. C. Campana/Carter (WF), 5-3 unfinished
3. Nihalani/Brylin (WF) def. Ansari/Song (AU), 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 1
Yale 4, #31 Auburn 2
Singles
1. #46 Samantha Martinelli (YALE) def. #78 Taylor Russo (AU), 6-2, 6-2
2. Selin Ovunc (AU) def. Chelsea Kung (YALE), 6-2, 6-4
3. Caroline Dunleavy (YALE) def. Yu Chen (AU), 6-4, 1-6, 6-0
4. Georgie Axon (AU) def. Rena Lin (YALE), 6-4, 6-3
5. Carolyn Ansari (AU) vs. Jessie Gong (YALE), 7-6, 2-6 unfinished
6. Raissa Lou (YALE) def. Madeline Meredith (AU), 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 2, 4, 6, 3
Doubles
1. #9 Russo/Ovunc (AU) vs. #3 Gong/Martinelli (YALE), 5-6 unfinished
2. Kung/Lin (YALE) def. Axon/Meredith (AU), 7-6
3. Shrivastava/Dunleavy (YALE) def. Ansari/Song (AU), 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2