In a thrilling quarterfinal match at the SEC Championship, the No. 16 Auburn women’s tennis team narrowly lost to No. 17 Tennessee by a score of 4-3. The match came down to the wire with both teams tied at 3-3 and only one singles match remaining to decide the outcome.
The doubles competition started off strong for Auburn, with the duo of Adeline Flach and Angella Okutoyi securing a dominant 6-1 victory over their Tennessee opponents. However, Tennessee fought back and ultimately claimed the doubles point after a hard-fought battle on the top court.
Moving on to singles play, Auburn got off to a strong start by winning four opening sets. Carolyn Ansari, Adeline Flach, DJ Bennett, and Angella Okutoyi all claimed their first sets to give Auburn an early lead. Bennett’s victory on court two marked her third straight singles win and extended Auburn’s lead to 3-1.
Despite Auburn’s strong start, Tennessee mounted a comeback in singles play, winning two matches to tie the score at 3-3. With only one match remaining on court six, the tension was high as Leyla Britez-Risso of Tennessee ultimately clinched the victory with a hard-fought win over Ava Esposito Cogan.
With the loss, Auburn exits the SEC Championship with a 16-10 record and will now await their seeding and site for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The team will find out their fate during a selection show on April 29, with the first rounds of the tournament scheduled for the first weekend in May.