Auburn's junior Pleun Burgmans and senior Emily Flickinger defeated Alabama's No. 1-ranked pair 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5) for their second-straight USTA/ITA Southern Regional title Monday afternoon at Alabama Tennis Stadium.
"Both Pleun and Emily played fantastic doubles at this tournament," head coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner said. "Having to play the No. 1 team in the country on their home court is a tough task, but they were up to the challenge and I'm very proud of their effort to win this title for the second-straight year."
The Tigers lost the first set to the Tide's Maya Jansen and Erin Routliffe, but came back and outplayed their opponents in the second and third sets to run away with the title.
Defeating the defending NCAA champions was the Tigers' highest ranked win over an opponent this season.
Burgmans dropped her singles match 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (4-7) for the USTA/ITA Southern Regional singles title that went to a third-set tiebreaker.
"Pleun played amazing tennis this weekend," Meisner said. "This was a tough draw and a great competition and she fought until the very end. All credit goes to Julia Jones of Ole Miss, who played outstanding tennis."
Burgmans and Flickinger's win automatically qualifies them for the USTA/ITA National Indoors at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, for the second straight season.
The Auburn tennis team will play their next match at the ESPN/Disney National Clay Courts in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 30-Nov. 2.
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