In a thrilling showdown in Norman, Oklahoma, the No. 13 Auburn women’s tennis team clinched their second consecutive road victory, outplaying No.
11 Oklahoma with a 4-2 win to kick off conference play. The Tigers set the tone early by securing the doubles point, followed by three decisive singles victories.
Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo praised the team's performance, highlighting the importance of the doubles point and the impressive singles wins. "Oklahoma is a tough place to play with a well-coached team," Szabo noted. "Getting some revenge from last year felt great, but there's still room for growth as we prepare for Saturday’s matches against Arkansas and Eastern Kentucky."
Key performances came from Angie Okutoyi and Merna Refaat, who quickly wrapped up their singles matches, and Ekaterina Khairutdinova, who dug deep to secure her win. Ashton Bowers played a crucial role by splitting sets, adding to the team’s momentum.
The match kicked off with a 6-4 doubles triumph by Bowers and Khairutdinova, marking their 13th straight win of the spring. At the No. 2 doubles spot, Okutoyi and Refaat battled through a tight match against Oklahoma’s Evialina Laskevich and Edda Mamedova, eventually prevailing 7-5 to clinch the vital doubles point.
As singles play unfolded, Refaat dominated her match against Chloe Noel, capturing a 6-2, 6-2 victory and improving her dual-match singles record to an impressive 7-1 this season. Okutoyi followed suit at the No. 3 position, overcoming Mamedova with a 6-2, 6-3 win, pushing Auburn’s lead to 3-0.
Oklahoma responded with straight-set victories at the No. 1 and No. 6 positions, narrowing Auburn’s lead to 3-2. However, Khairutdinova held her ground against No.
18 Julia Garcia Ruiz. After taking the first set 6-4, she battled through a tight second set, ultimately securing a 7-5 victory to clinch the match for Auburn.
This victory boosts Auburn’s record to 17-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play, evening the all-time series with Oklahoma at 2-2. It also marks their fourth win against a top-15 opponent this season.
Looking ahead, Auburn will host its SEC home opener against Arkansas on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT, followed by a match against Eastern Kentucky at 3 p.m.
CT. Fans attending the Yarbrough Tennis Center can enjoy free admission and complimentary Moe’s BBQ while supplies last.
Singles Results:
- Evialina Laskevich (OU) def. #37 DJ Bennett (AUB) 7-5, 6-4
- E. Khairutdinova (AUB) def.
#18 Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) 6-4, 7-5
- #95 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def.
Edda Mamedova (OU) 6-2, 6-3
- Merna Refaat (AUB) def.
Chloe Noel (OU) 6-2, 6-2
- Salakthip Ounmuang (OU) vs.
#26 Ashton Bowers (AUB) 6-3, 3-6, 3-0, unfinished
- Gloriana Nahum (OU) def.
Stefani Webb (AUB) 6-4, 6-1
Doubles Results:
- Results not specified in the provided content.