AUBURN, Alabama – No. 14 Texas A&M suffered a 4-2 loss to No. 29 Auburn in both team's Southeastern Conference opener today at the Yarbrough Tennis Center indoor courts. The loss snapped the Aggies' four match win streak and gave Auburn its first victory in the all-time series between the two teams.
"All credit to Auburn as they simply just played better than us," A&M first-year head coach Mark Weaver said. "They have a very good team, and I'm quite sure that is the best team that they have put on the court in quite some time.
"The match was indoors due to the weather, and I don't necessary feel like that gave either team an advantage. On the other hand, out of the 12 matches that we have played, six of them have been indoors."
Auburn, which had lost the previous six meetings since the series began in 2007, won the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead. The Tigers jumped out to a 4-1 lead at both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles and closed out both matches with identical 6-3 scores to secure the point. Pleun Burgmans, a two-time ITA All-American in doubles, and Alizee Michaud were first off after defeating Eva Paalma and Rachel Pierson at first doubles. Alannah Griffin and Caroline Turner held a narrow 4-3 edge over Ines Deheza and Domenica Gonzalez at No. 3 before pulling away for their victory at the No. 3 line to clinch the point for Auburn.
A&M's 48th-ranked duo of Rutuja Bhosale and Anna Mamalat was tied with Auburn's Andie Dikosavljevic and Paula de Man, 4-4, at the No. 2 line when the doubles point was clinched, and the match was stopped.
The Tigers extended their lead to 3-0 with two quick straight-set wins once singles began. Auburn, which won three of six first sets, went up, 2-0, after 32nd-ranked Dikosavljevic raced to a 6-1, 6-0 victory at the No. 1 line over No. 53 Gavrilovska, who suffered her first loss in dual match play after winning her first three decisions. It also snapped Gavrilovska's team-leading six-match win streak dating back to the fall season.
Griffin then put Auburn ahead, 3-0, posting a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Paalma at the No. 4 line.
Gonzalez put Texas A&M on the scoreboard as she quickly followed with a 6-2, 6-0 win over de Man at No. 5. It marked the sixth consecutive win for the Aggie freshman, who improved to a team-best 7-2 in dual match play.
Deheza, one day removed from her 22nd birthday, put the Aggies within 3-2, posting a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Turner at the No. 6 line. The Aggies, however, were unable to notch another win before Michaud, playing the No. 3 line, clinched the Tigers' victory, completing a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Bhosale, who entered the match riding a four-match winning streak.
Burgmans, 11-0 in dual matches, led Pierson, 7-6 (7), 5-4, when Michaud clinched the decisive fourth point, and the match went unfinished.
A&M falls to 8-4 and moves to 2-2 in all-time SEC season openers.
Auburn, which earlier this week make the largest jump of all teams in the ITA top-75 rankings after catapulting from No. 61 to No. 29, improves to 13-2.
The Aggies continue their SEC road swing Saturday, taking on 38th-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa. First serve against the Crimson Tide is slated for 1 p.m. at the Alabama Tennis Stadium.
"I am confident that our girls will bounce back, and we have another good opportunity to do that against another very good team on Saturday against Alabama," Weaver added.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieWomensTennis.
#29 Auburn 4, #14 Texas A&M 2
Yarbrough Tennis Center (Indoors), Auburn, Alabama
March 3, 2016
Singles
1. #32 Andie Dikosavljevic (AU) def. #53 Saska Gavrilovska (A&M), 6-1, 6-0
2. Rachel Pierson (A&M) vs. Pleun Burgmans (AU), 6-7 (7), 4-5 unfinished
3. Alizee Michaud (AU) def. Rutuja Bhosale (A&M), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
4. Alannah Griffin (AU) def. Eva Paalma (A&M), 6-1, 6-1
5. Domenica Gonzalez (A&M) def. Paula de Man (AU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Ines Deheza (A&M) def. Caroline Turner (AU), 6-3, 6-3
Doubles (Auburn wins the point)
1. Burgmans/Michaud (AU) def. Paalma/Pierson (A&M), 6-3
2. #48 Bhosale/Mamalat (A&M) vs. Dikosavljevic/de Man (AU), 4-4 unfinished
3. Griffin/Turner (AU) def. Deheza/Gonzalez (A&M), 6-3
Order of finish
Doubles: 1, 3
Singles: 1, 4, 5, 6, 3
Team records:
Texas A&M: 8-4, 0-1 SEC
Auburn: 13-2, 1-0 SEC
Texas A&M Pronunciation Guide:
Rutuja Bhosale roo-too-jah bo-slay
Ines Deheza ee-NAY de-HAY-za
Saska Gavrilovska saush-ka gav-ril-ahv-ska
Stefania Hristov steff-on-ya RIS-tov
Anna Mamalat anna MAM-ah-LOT
Eva Paalma A-va paul-ma
"All credit to Auburn as they simply just played better than us," A&M first-year head coach Mark Weaver said. "They have a very good team, and I'm quite sure that is the best team that they have put on the court in quite some time.
"The match was indoors due to the weather, and I don't necessary feel like that gave either team an advantage. On the other hand, out of the 12 matches that we have played, six of them have been indoors."
Auburn, which had lost the previous six meetings since the series began in 2007, won the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead. The Tigers jumped out to a 4-1 lead at both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles and closed out both matches with identical 6-3 scores to secure the point. Pleun Burgmans, a two-time ITA All-American in doubles, and Alizee Michaud were first off after defeating Eva Paalma and Rachel Pierson at first doubles. Alannah Griffin and Caroline Turner held a narrow 4-3 edge over Ines Deheza and Domenica Gonzalez at No. 3 before pulling away for their victory at the No. 3 line to clinch the point for Auburn.
A&M's 48th-ranked duo of Rutuja Bhosale and Anna Mamalat was tied with Auburn's Andie Dikosavljevic and Paula de Man, 4-4, at the No. 2 line when the doubles point was clinched, and the match was stopped.
The Tigers extended their lead to 3-0 with two quick straight-set wins once singles began. Auburn, which won three of six first sets, went up, 2-0, after 32nd-ranked Dikosavljevic raced to a 6-1, 6-0 victory at the No. 1 line over No. 53 Gavrilovska, who suffered her first loss in dual match play after winning her first three decisions. It also snapped Gavrilovska's team-leading six-match win streak dating back to the fall season.
Griffin then put Auburn ahead, 3-0, posting a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Paalma at the No. 4 line.
Gonzalez put Texas A&M on the scoreboard as she quickly followed with a 6-2, 6-0 win over de Man at No. 5. It marked the sixth consecutive win for the Aggie freshman, who improved to a team-best 7-2 in dual match play.
Deheza, one day removed from her 22nd birthday, put the Aggies within 3-2, posting a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Turner at the No. 6 line. The Aggies, however, were unable to notch another win before Michaud, playing the No. 3 line, clinched the Tigers' victory, completing a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Bhosale, who entered the match riding a four-match winning streak.
Burgmans, 11-0 in dual matches, led Pierson, 7-6 (7), 5-4, when Michaud clinched the decisive fourth point, and the match went unfinished.
A&M falls to 8-4 and moves to 2-2 in all-time SEC season openers.
Auburn, which earlier this week make the largest jump of all teams in the ITA top-75 rankings after catapulting from No. 61 to No. 29, improves to 13-2.
The Aggies continue their SEC road swing Saturday, taking on 38th-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa. First serve against the Crimson Tide is slated for 1 p.m. at the Alabama Tennis Stadium.
"I am confident that our girls will bounce back, and we have another good opportunity to do that against another very good team on Saturday against Alabama," Weaver added.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieWomensTennis.
#29 Auburn 4, #14 Texas A&M 2
Yarbrough Tennis Center (Indoors), Auburn, Alabama
March 3, 2016
Singles
1. #32 Andie Dikosavljevic (AU) def. #53 Saska Gavrilovska (A&M), 6-1, 6-0
2. Rachel Pierson (A&M) vs. Pleun Burgmans (AU), 6-7 (7), 4-5 unfinished
3. Alizee Michaud (AU) def. Rutuja Bhosale (A&M), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
4. Alannah Griffin (AU) def. Eva Paalma (A&M), 6-1, 6-1
5. Domenica Gonzalez (A&M) def. Paula de Man (AU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Ines Deheza (A&M) def. Caroline Turner (AU), 6-3, 6-3
Doubles (Auburn wins the point)
1. Burgmans/Michaud (AU) def. Paalma/Pierson (A&M), 6-3
2. #48 Bhosale/Mamalat (A&M) vs. Dikosavljevic/de Man (AU), 4-4 unfinished
3. Griffin/Turner (AU) def. Deheza/Gonzalez (A&M), 6-3
Order of finish
Doubles: 1, 3
Singles: 1, 4, 5, 6, 3
Team records:
Texas A&M: 8-4, 0-1 SEC
Auburn: 13-2, 1-0 SEC
Texas A&M Pronunciation Guide:
Rutuja Bhosale roo-too-jah bo-slay
Ines Deheza ee-NAY de-HAY-za
Saska Gavrilovska saush-ka gav-ril-ahv-ska
Stefania Hristov steff-on-ya RIS-tov
Anna Mamalat anna MAM-ah-LOT
Eva Paalma A-va paul-ma