AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn continued its hot start to the SEC women's tennis season as the 18th-ranked Tigers took down No. 36 Mississippi State 4-0 on a picture-perfect Thursday afternoon at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
The Tigers (10-2, 5-1 SEC) remained unbeaten at home on the year, overcoming early adversity to post their first shutout win in SEC play this season.
"I am incredibly proud of our team," Auburn head coach Caroline Lilley said. "The poise and composure exhibited amidst a very challenging circumstance is indicative of the character of this team. Greatness is a deliberate choice to pursue one percent improvements in every area. We improved today as a team, and that is always what matters most."
Auburn claimed the doubles point for the third straight match, but it wasn't without its struggles. An injury forced an Auburn retirement at the top doubles spot, leaving it to the Tigers' No. 2 and No. 3 teams to secure the early lead. But they did just that. Sophomore Carolyn Ansari and freshman Anastasia Astakhova, making her collegiate debut, earned a 6-2 win at the No. 3 spot, and graduate student Georgie Axon teamed up with freshman Adeline Flach for a 6-4 victory at the second position to give Auburn an early lead.
Ovunc quickly made it 2-0 Auburn with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Tamara Racine at the top singles spot. A lineup shift moved Flach up to the No. 5 singles spot and Astakhova into the singles lineup for the first time at No. 6. The freshman from Kazakhstan came through in her first collegiate singles match, defeating MSU's Marta Falceto 6-1, 6-4 to push the Auburn lead to 3-0.
Axon would finish off the victory for the Tigers with a 6-3, 6-2 win on court four. Yu Chen overcame a first-set loss to push her match to a third set and was leading 3-2 when play was halted. Flach had split the first two sets with her opponent and was about to begin the third set, and Ansari was trailing 5-4 in the second set when the match was clinched.
The Tigers will hit the halfway point of SEC play Saturday as they host No. 30 Ole Miss at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. Match time is set for noon CT, fans are welcome to attend, and admission is free.
For the latest on Auburn women's tennis, follow @AuburnWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
#18 Auburn 4, #36 Mississippi State 0
Singles
1. #62 Selin Ovunc (AU) def. Tamara Racine (MSU), 6-1, 6-3
2. Yu Chen (AU) vs. #69 Emma Antonaki (MSU), 2-6, 6-1, 3-2 unfinished
3. Carolyn Ansari (AU) vs. Magda Adaloglou (MSU), 4-6, 4-5 unfinished
4. Georgie Axon (AU) def. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU), 6-3, 6-2
5. Adeline Flach (AU) vs. Chloe Cirotte (MSU), 7-5, 3-6 unfinished
6. Anastasia Astakhova (AU) def. Marta Falceto (MSU), 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 6, 4
Doubles
1. #46 Racine/Adaloglou (MSU) def. #11 Ovunc/Russo (AU), 1-1 ret.
2. Axon/Flach (AU) def. Mikahiluk/Poling (MSU), 6-4
3. Ansari/Astakhova (AU) def. Falceto/Antonaki (MSU), 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Auburn 10-2, 5-1 SEC; National ranking #18
Mississippi State 9-6, 1-6 SEC; National ranking #36
Time: 2:12 Attendance: 109