Sophomore Melissa Koning: strides to return the ball at Yarborough Tennis Center court. The 20-year-old from Mount Eliza, Australia, finished her freshman year with an 8-3 singles record. JD Schien / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
The 34th-ranked Auburn women’s tennis team upset No. 30 South Carolina at the Yarbrough Tennis Center on Sunday.
Auburn sophomore Jil Hastenrath sealed the 4-3 win in a tense match that improved Auburn to 14-6 overall and 4-6 in the Southeastern Conference.
Auburn started singles with a 1-0 lead over South Carolina after winning doubles 2-1.
Auburn’s Melissa Koning and Alex Haney (#22) defeated South Carolina’s Gira Schofield and Ana Zubori (#37) 8-5 on court one to improve their
SEC record to 8-2. Whitney Chappell and Fani Chifchieva also won improving their overall record to 4-2.
South Carolina tied the score with a victory in number six singles. South Carolina’s Megan McGavock defeated Auburn’s Dunja Djuranovic 6-1,6-0.
Haney #107 won next for Auburn, upsetting #70 Ana Zubori 7-6 (3), 6-4. In the number one spot, #22 Chifchieva beat #44 Schofield 7-5, 7-6 (1).
This was Chifchieva’s 19th win of the season, making her record 19-2 overall.
Chifchieva said it was not her best day, but she worked through it.
“I tried to stay focused and play long points,” Chifchieva said.
Natasa Vuckovic gave South Carolina hope when she defeated Koning 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Auburn was up 3-2 when Hastenrath beat Jelena Rajic 7-6 (6), 7-5 in the fifth spot to claim the victory.
“I think we’re the hardest fighting team,” Hastenrath said.
Hastenrath lived up to that in her match, scrambling in long rallies against Rajic that lasted up to 30 shots a point.
In the last match, South Carolina’s Suzie Mansour came back to beat Auburn’s Chappell 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Auburn head coach Tim Gray said the team knew this match would be close going into it.
“South Carolina’s always gritty and tough,” he said.
This Auburn win over USC followed a close 3-4 loss to third-ranked Florida.
“We did everything we could,” Gray said, “but Florida stepped up.”
Florida started with a lead, winning the doubles point by defeating Auburn in the two and three spots. Haney and Koning won, however, defeating Florida’s Whitney Benik and Csilla Borsanyi.
Koning defeated No. 106 Megan Alexander 6-0, 6-1 in the three spot to tie the match.
Florida’s Lolita Frangulyan defeated Djuranovic 6-2, 6-4 on court six to make the score 2-1.
Florida went up 3-1 when No. 124 Whitney Benik beat Chappell 6-4, 6-2.
Haney #107 upset #32 Borsanyi 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 for a big Auburn win in the second spot.
On court one, Chifchieva tied the score with a 6-1, 8-6 win over No. 27 Julia Cohen.
Hastenrath fought for three sets but couldn’t hold on, and Anastasia Revzina clinched Florida’s victory winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 5 spot.
Gray said he was proud of the way the team played this weekend.
“I feel like we can play with anyone,” Gray said. “But we need to focus.”
The South Carolina match was hard, he said, after an emotional loss to Florida.
“The girls did a great job and bounced back,” Gray said.
Auburn will host the University of Alabama April 12 to play its last regular season match before the SEC tournament, which will be held at the Yarbrough Tennis Center April 17-20.
“I think we’re prepared,” Chifchieva said.
