ATHENS, Ga. – No. 16 Auburn went down to the wire against No. 17 Tennessee in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Championship on Friday evening, but narrowly lost 4-3 at the Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Georgia. For the second time this season, the two teams were tied 3-3 with one singles match remaining in a third set to decide the match.
The Auburn doubles team of Adeline Flach and Angella Okutoyi bounced back from a loss on Thursday by defeating Alana Wolfberg and Esther Adeshina in a one-sided match 6-1. Flach and Okutoyi jumped out to an early 3-1 lead and won the next three consecutive games to claim their ninth doubles match of the season.
Tennessee then claimed court three and the doubles point was decided on the top court. With the match tied at two, Ariana Arseneault and DJ Bennett earned a break for the Tigers to take a 3-2 lead, but the Volunteers ultimately came back to win 6-4 and claim the doubles point.
The opening set in singles was also very competitive, with three first sets being decided by a tiebreaker. Auburn won four opening sets to begin singles. Carolyn Ansari won each of her first three games on court one over No. 18 Sofia Cabezas before claiming the first set 6-4. On court five, Flach took an early 3-2 advantage to a 6-3 first set win. Bennett earned a first set over 123rd-ranked Elza Tomase and Okutoyi won her opening set in a tiebreaker against Esther Adeshina.
Arseneault and Ava Esposito Cogan, who appeared in the No. 6 spot in the Auburn lineup for the first time since March 8 against Missouri, each lost their respective first sets in tiebreakers.
Flach dominated in her second set over Lauren Anzalotta to win 6-3, 6-4 and tie the team score at one. After the tiebreak win in the first set, Angella Okutoyi won the last three games of her second set consecutively to defeat Adeshina 7-6 (7), 6-3 and give the Tigers the lead.
Bennett marked her third straight singles victory on court two, coming back from a 5-3 deficit to claim the set and win the match 6-4, 7-5. The Auburn sophomore earned her 10th ranked singles win of the season and grew Auburn's lead to 3-1.
DJ Bennett with ANOTHER straight set victory on court ✌️
— Auburn Women's Tennis (@AuburnWTennis) April 20, 2024
Tigers now lead 3-1 🐅#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/OgdONNFa6P
Tennessee then earned a straight set win on court three to cut the deficit to 3-2. Cabezas won her second set over Ansari to force a third set, while Ava Esposito Cogan recorded a 6-2 second set win to force a third set against Leyla Britez-Risso.
Auburn leads 3-2 with both Carolyn Ansari and Ava Esposito Cogan's matches entering a third set 👀
— Auburn Women's Tennis (@AuburnWTennis) April 20, 2024
Tigers need to claim one to earn the team victory 🏆#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/KJRbRWUy0F
Ansari was down early in the third set and despite a late break to cut the deficit to 4-3, dropped the match which tied the team score at three with only court six remaining.
Britez-Rizzo jumped out to a 4-0 advantage in the third set, but the Auburn freshman stayed in the fight by earning two breaks to make the score 4-2. Britez-Rizzo ultimately won the match 6-7 (7), 2-6, 6-4 clinch the close victory for the Volunteers.
With the loss, Auburn exits the SEC Championship with a 16-10 record. The Tigers will find out their Opening rounds site and seeding during a selection show on April 29 that will be streamed at 5:30 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. The first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament are scheduled to be played during the first weekend in May.
#17 Tennessee 4, #16 Auburn 3
Singles Results:
1. #18 Sofia Cabezas (TENN) def. #6 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
2. #58 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #123 Elza Tomase (TENN) 6-4, 7-5
3. Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. #83 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
4. Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Esther Adeshina (TENN) 7-6 (9-7), 6-3
5. Adeline Flach (AUB) def. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) 6-3, 6-2
6. Leyla Britez-Risso (TENN) def. Ava Esposito Cogan (AUB) 7-6 (9-7), 2-6, 6-4
Doubles Results:
1. #12 Elza Tomase/Sofia Cabezas (TENN) def. #9 DJ Bennett/Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 6-4
2. #46 Adeline Flach/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. #77 Esther Adeshina/Alana Wolfberg (TENN) 6-1
3. Lauren Anzalotta/Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. #85 Carolyn Ansari/Selin Ovunc (AUB) 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles: 2,3,1; Singles: 5,4,2,3,1,6