Auburn Women’s Tennis Makes History with Statement Win Over NC State, Advances to ITA Indoor Semifinals
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Auburn women’s tennis team is heading into uncharted territory - and doing it in style.
With a 4-1 win over No. 9 NC State in the quarterfinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship on Saturday, the fourth-ranked Tigers punched their ticket to the semifinals for the first time in program history. It was a breakthrough performance that showcased grit, depth, and a whole lot of clutch tennis under pressure.
“This is where we want to be every year,” Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo said after the match, and based on what we saw Saturday, they’re not just showing up - they’re showing out.
Doubles Delivers Under Pressure
Things didn’t start smoothly for the Tigers. NC State came out swinging, grabbing a 6-0 win on the top doubles court to set the tone early. But Auburn didn’t flinch.
Enter Angella Okutoyi and Ava Esposito - a new pairing for this season - who found their rhythm at the No. 2 spot. After holding serve on a deciding point to level the match at 3-all, they broke serve and rode that momentum to a 6-4 win. That shifted the momentum.
Then came the clincher. On court three, Ashton Bowers and Ekaterina Khairutdinova broke serve on a deciding point to go up 4-3, and never looked back. They closed out a 6-4 win that gave Auburn the doubles point - and a crucial early edge.
That doubles point wasn’t just a scoreboard advantage. It was a tone-setter. Against a battle-tested NC State squad, Auburn showed they could take a punch and respond with poise.
Singles Play: Depth, Dominance, and a Dose of Drama
Once singles play began, the Tigers didn’t waste time building on their momentum. Auburn took five of six first sets, applying pressure across the board.
At the No. 6 spot, freshman Ava Esposito found herself in an early hole, down 3-1 to NC State’s Jasmine Conway. But Esposito flipped the script, winning the set 6-4 and finishing with authority - two aces in a love hold to seal the opener.
She kept her foot on the gas in the second, breaking on a deciding point to take a 3-2 lead and closing out a 6-4, 6-4 win. That gave Auburn a 2-0 lead - and more importantly, showed that their freshman could handle the moment.
Then came DJ Bennett at No. 1.
The veteran came out firing, rattling off four straight games to start her match against Mia Slama. She took the first set 6-2, then stayed steady in the second, holding serve to lock down a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
That marked Bennett’s second singles win in as many days, and pushed Auburn to a commanding 3-0 team lead.
NC State wasn’t done yet. The Wolfpack got one back with a win at No. 5 singles and pushed matches at the No. 2 and 3 spots into third sets. But Auburn had an answer - and it came from Ashton Bowers.
Facing off against one of the top freshmen in the country, Victoria Osuigwe, Bowers brought her A-game at No. 4.
After trading games early, she grabbed a crucial break on a deciding point to go up 4-3, then took the set 6-4. In the second, she turned up the pressure, winning five straight games to build a 5-1 lead before closing it out 6-4, 6-2.
That clinched the match for Auburn - and punched their ticket to the semifinals.
A Program on the Rise
This win wasn’t just another tally in the win column. It was a statement.
Auburn is now 13-0 on the season, with three top-15 wins already under their belt. And this one - against a perennial powerhouse like NC State - might be the biggest yet.
Head coach Jordan Szabo didn’t hold back in his praise for the opponent, calling NC State’s Simon Earnshaw “the best coach in the country.” But Szabo’s squad showed they belong on the biggest stage, too.
With a semifinal showdown against top-ranked Georgia looming on Monday, the Tigers will need to dig even deeper. They fell to the Bulldogs 4-1 in last year’s quarterfinals, but this is a different Auburn team - deeper, more experienced, and riding high on confidence.
There’s still work to be done. Szabo noted the team will use the next day to rest and recover, especially for players like Merna Refaat who are working their way back to full strength. But make no mistake: Auburn is right where it wants to be - in the thick of the national title conversation.
The Tigers and Bulldogs will square off Monday at 3:30 p.m. CT at the Combe Tennis Center in Evanston. Live coverage will be available on wearecollegetennis.com, with broadcast-style commentary from Cracked Racquets on YouTube.
Auburn 4, NC State 1 - ITA Indoor Quarterfinals
Singles Results:
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The Tigers are dancing into the semifinals - and they’re not done yet.