AUBURN – In its second match of the weekend, the No. 27 Vanderbilt women’s tennis team fell short against No. 12 Auburn, falling 4-3 to the Tigers at the Yarbrough Tennis Center on Sunday.
Auburn quickly overcame Vanderbilt in doubles, taking back-to-back wins. Auburn’s duo of Ariana Arseneault and DJ Bennett claimed a 6-1 victory over No. 16 Célia-Belle Mohr and Anessa Lee on Court 1. Shortly after on Court 3, the tandem of Carolyn Ansari and Selin Ovunc were victorious against Sonya Macavei and Holly Staff. Bridget Stammel and Valeria Ray’s match went unfinished against their Tiger opponents.
Both Vanderbilt and Auburn went point-for-point in singles. On Court 6, Amy Stevens picked up the first win for the Dores with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over her Tiger opponent. No. 122 Ray fell to Angella Okutoyi on Court 4 with a 4-6, 2-6 loss, but No. 17 Mohr claimed a straight-set win over Auburn’s Ansari to even the score 2-2. Bennett picked up a 7-6 (10-8), 6-3 win over Stammel on Court 3, while Staff added another point for the Dores, tying it up at 3 all and leaving the decision to Lee and Arseneault. Arseneault clinched the match for Auburn, winning in straight sets against Lee after the two went to a tiebreaker in the opening set.
Singles
1. No. 17 Mohr (Vanderbilt) def. No. 16 Ansari 6-3, 6-4
2. No. 73 Arseneault (Auburn) def. Lee 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
3. No. 77 Bennett (Auburn) def. No. 42 Stammel 7-6 (10-8), 6-3
4. No. 105 Okutoyi (Auburn) def. No. 122 Ray 6-4, 6-2
5. Staff (Vanderbilt) def. Ovunc 7-5, 6-3
6. Stevens (Vanderbilt) def. Ava Esposito Cogan 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
1. Arseneault/Bennett (Auburn) def. No. 16 Mohr/Lee 6-1
2. Stammel/Ray (Vanderbilt) vs. Adeline Flach/Okutoyi 3-4, unfinished
3. Ansari/Ovunc (Auburn) def. Staff/Macavei 6-2
Up Next: Next weekend the Commodores travel to Lexington on Sunday to face Kentucky at 11 a.m.
