Columbia, S.C. – No. 19 South Carolina women’s tennis upset No. 13 Auburn 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Carolina Tennis Center. The Gamecocks dropped the doubles point but won five of the six singles matches in the victory.
In doubles, the Tigers claimed the point with a pair of wins at the top of the lineup. At the No. 2 position, Carolyn Ansari and Selin Ovunc bested Shahar Biran and Elise Mills 6-1 for the first victory of the day.
Auburn was able to clinch the point from the top of the lineup where No. 19 Araiana Arseneault and DJ Bennett won a close match over No. 41 Ayana Akli and Sarah Hamner 7-5.
Akli was quick to even things up for the Gamecocks with her win over No. 14 Ansari. Akli was unstoppable in her match, claiming the top-15 win 6-4, 6-1 to improve to 21-8 on the season.
The next two matches finished in near unison with No. 10 Hamner defeating No. 70 Arseneault 6-2 7-6(5) at the No. 2 position and Olympe Lancelot defeating Ali DeSpain 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 6 position to put South Carolina up 3-1. Hamner is now 24-6 this season with 15 of her wins over ranked opponents.
The Tigers were then able to claim their first and only singles point of the day with No. 64 Bennett besting No. 125 Biran 7-6(4), 6-4 from Court 3.
It wasn’t long after the Mills was able to clinch the upset with her win over Ovunc. Mills claimed the first set 6-4 but Ovunc had battled back to take the second set 6-1. With it still anyone’s match to win, Mills rallied for a late break to win the final set 6-4, clinching the match for the Gamecocks. Mills is now 15-11 on the season and 7-3 in dual play.
The final match on between Misa Malkin and Adeline Flach was played out with Malkin also claiming a victory in three sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
The win over No. 13 Auburn marks South Carolina’s highest ranked win since defeating also-then No. 13 Auburn 4-3 in 2022.
The women’s tennis team will be in action next on the road, heading to Columbia, Missouri, and Fayetteville, Arkansas, on March 22 and 24.
For all the latest South Carolina women’s tennis information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockWTennis).
(19) South Carolina 5, (13) Auburn 2
Doubles (order of finish: 2, 1)
- #19 Ariana Arseneault/DJ Bennett (AUB) def. #41 Ayana Akli/Sarah Hamner (SC) 7-5
- Carolyn Ansari/Selin Ovunc (AUB) def. Shahar Biran/Elise Mills (SC) 6-1
- Olympe Lancelot/Misa Malkin (SC) vs. Adeline Flach/Ali Despain (AUB) 6-5, unfinished
Singles…