AUBURN, Ala. – In pursuit of the program's first trip to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, the UCF women's tennis team came up short as the Knights fell to No. 15 Auburn, 4-1, in Sunday's ITA Kickoff Weekend Championship Match at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The Knights dropped the doubles point and were unable to pull it out in singles.
In doubles play, the Knights faced off against the No. 10 tandem of Ariana Arseneault and Carolyn Ansari on court one. The duo of Marie Mattel and Noel Saidenova battled their way through the set but weren't able to close it out and were defeated 7-6 (6). Jantje Tilbuerger and Jaleesa Leslie were also defeated on court two, 6-4. Nandini Sharma and Sophia Biolay's match ended unfinished after the Tigers clinched the point on court one.
Heading to singles play, the Black and Gold came out strong in the first set, only dropping the first set on courts two and six. Saidenova earned the lone point for the Knights in a quick decision on court two, taking down 78th-ranked DJ Bennett in straight sets 6-1, 6-3. No. 110 Sharma suffered her first singles loss of the season on court six, where she dropped her match to Adelina Flach, 6-3, 6-1.
At No. 1 singles, UCF's No. 47 Mattel dueled against No. 43 Arseneault and won the first set 7-6 (7) but ended unfinished after the match was clinched. Court five's matchup of Biolay and Angella Okutoyi went unfinished as well after their back-and-forth volleying took them to a third set.
#15 Auburn 4, #23 UCF 1
Singles competition
1. #43 Ariana Arseneault (AUB) vs. #47 Marie Mattel (UCF) 6-7 (7-9), 4-3, unfinished
2. #71 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. Jantje Tilbuerger (UCF) 6-3, 7-5
3. Noel Saidenova (UCF) def. #78 DJ Bennett (AUB) 6-1, 6-3
4. Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) def. Jaleesa Leslie (UCF) 4-6, 6-0, 6-4
5. Angella Okutoyi (AUB) vs. Sophia Biolay (UCF) 4-6, 7-5, 4-0, unfinished
6. Adeline Flach (AUB) def. #110 Nandini Sharma (UCF) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #10 Ariana Arseneault/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. Marie Mattel/Noel Saidenova (UCF) 7-6 (8-6)
2. Adeline Flach/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Jantje Tilbuerger/Jaleesa Leslie (UCF) 6-4
3. DJ Bennett/Kaitlyn Carnicella (AUB) vs. Nandini Sharma/Sophia Biolay (UCF) 6-5, unfinished
Order of finish: Doubles (2, 1); Singles (6, 3, 2, 4)
UP NEXT
The Knights return home this Sunday, Feb. 5 to take on LSU to kick off a two-game homestand. The match will take place at the USTA National Campus at 3 p.m. Admission is free to the public.
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