WACO, Texas – Catherine Aulia and Elza Tomase of the Tennessee women’s tennis team wrapped up play at the 2024 NCAA Individual Championships, falling to their respective opponents on Wednesday at Hurd Tennis Center.
In singles, Tomase could not close the deficit and dropped her match to Auburn’s Merna Refaat, 5-7, 4-6. The senior started strong, racing to a 4-0 lead, but Refaat mounted a comeback, winning five consecutive games to take the first set. In the second set, Tomase battled back from a 0-4 deficit, managing to claw back, but ultimately could not get close enough to challenge for the win.
Aulia dropped a back-and-forth affair to North Carolina’s Carson Tanguiling, 6-4, 4-6, 0-6. The junior had momentum throughout the first set, but it was not enough to carry into the final two stanzas. Aulia notched a 3-1 lead in the second set, but could not find enough rhythm to power past Tanguiling.
Together, the pair dropped a 7-5, 4-6, 6-10 result versus Duke’s Irina Balus and Elizabeth Coleman. Aulia and Tomase fell behind in the first set, 4-1 but bounced back to hang a 7-5 triumph. In the second set, the duo fell behind early and could not find their footing to add a comeback, falling 6-4. The match came down to a 10-point tiebreak, in which the Lady Vols could quite add enough momentum.
Results:
Singles
Merna Refaat (Auburn) def. No. 4 Elza Tomase 7-5, 6-4
Carson Tanguilig (North Carolina) def. Catherine Aulia 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
Doubles
Balus/Coleman (Duke) def. Aulia/Tomase 5-7, 6-4, 1-6
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