@MizzouTennis Fights Hard in 4-2 Loss to No. 17 Auburn

Friday, April 6

Columbia, Mo.

3 PM

University of Missouri

(#17) Auburn

@MizzouTennis Fights Hard in 4-2 Loss to No. 17 Auburn

4/6/2018 8:47:00 PM | Tennis

Box Score

Tigers mere games away from upset

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Mizzou Tennis Team was on the verge of one of its greatest wins in program history Friday afternoon at the Mizzou Tennis Complex, but the Tigers fell just short to No. 17 Auburn, 4-2.

Mizzou (11-13, 0-10 SEC) started off the day well, as senior co-captain Amina Ismail (Maineville, Ohio) and sophomore Serena Nash (Bradford, England) paired up for a convincing 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles. Auburn, however, registered a 7-5 win at No. 1, then a 6-4 win at No. 3, to capture the doubles point.

Play was similarly tight during singles action. Auburn (17-9, 5-5) won first sets on Courts 2 and 4, while Mizzou did the same on Courts 1 and 3. AU followed up first with completed straight-sets wins to take a 3-0 lead with its wins on 2 and 4, but sophomore Mackenzy Middlebrooks (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) got Mizzou on board with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Madeline Meredith at No. 3. That gave Middlebrooks a team-leading 19th singles win on the year, 13th in dual play, and second in the SEC.

Nash brought the Tigers within a point at 3-2 with her 6-4, 7-6 (8) win over Alizee Michaud at No. 1. That was Nash's first career win in SEC play, and shifted the match into neutral, as with only four courts indoors, play had just begun at Nos. 5 and 6.

Both freshman Ellie Wright (Gainesville, Fla.) and senior co-captain Clare Raley (Atlanta, Ga.) won their first sets to swing the momentum in Mizzou's favor. Auburn fought back with second-set wins on both courts to force deciding third sets, and ultimately won the match at No. 5.

"Tough one for us today. I thought we put ourselves in a great spot in singles and doubles, but we have to start playing the big points better down the stretch moving forward," said Head Coach Colt Gaston. "The girls are learning from this, and we will make some adjustments tomorrow to prepare for Alabama."

UP NEXT

Mizzou wraps up its home schedule Sunday with a Senior Day matchup vs. Alabama. The Tigers and Crimson Tide begin play at Noon. Fans are encouraged to arrive at the Mizzou Tennis Complex by 11:45 a.m. to honor Ismail and Raley in a pre-match ceremony. After the match, fans 17 and under are welcome to attend a post-match tennis clinic.

The first 50 students will receive free pizza, and all fans can enter to win a $50 gift card to the Tiger Team Store and a free private tennis clinic.

For all the latest on Mizzou Tennis, stay tuned to mutigers.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS

#17 Auburn 4, Mizzou 1

DOUBLES (order of finish: 2, 1, 3)
Alizee Michaud/Taylor Russo (AUB) def. Clare Raley/Marta Oliveira (MIZ), 7-5
Amina Ismail/Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Jaeda Daniel/Madeline Meredith (AUB), 6-2
Andie Dikosavljevic/Alannah Griffin (AUB) def. Mackenzy Middlebrooks/Ellie Wright (MIZ), 6-4

SINGLES (order of finish: 2, 4, 3, 1, 5)
Serena Nash (MIZ) def. Alizee Michaud (AUB), 6-4, 7-6 (8)
#39 Jaeda Daniel (AUB) def. Taylor Gruber (MIZ), 6-4, 6-3
Mackenzy Middlebrooks (MIZ) def. Madeline Meredith (AUB), 7-5, 6-4
Andie Dikosavljevic (AUB) def. Amina Ismail (MIZ), 6-3, 6-2
Taylor Russo (AUB) def. Ellie Wright (MIZ), 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
Georgie Axon (AUB) vs. Clare Raley (MIZ), 5-7, 6-3, 4-2, suspended