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Auburn
No. 16 Rebels Tame Tigers 4-3
3/15/2015 | Women's Tennis
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OXFORD, Miss. - Every match in the Southeastern Conference is a battle, and on Sunday, the No. 13 ranked Ole Miss women's tennis team battled Auburn for five hours before sophomore Zalina Khairudinova clinched the 4-3 victory at No. 6 singles.
"This is the SEC, we knew it would be a battle," head coach Mark Beyers said. "I've been on both ends of these kinds of matches a bunch of times. It was dramatic with all the tiebreakers. I told the girls before the match it was going to come down to a tiebreaker or being able to serve it out. We had several tiebreakers that didn't go our way, but we were able to turn that one around at six and win it in the third set."
Auburn won the doubles point, but then the Rebels picked up straight set wins at courts three, one and four in that order to go up 3-1. The Tigers claimed both the matches at five and two in straight sets to tie the match at 3.
All eyes then focused on court six, where Khairudinova was serving for the match a second time against Auburn senior Jen Pfiefler. After winning the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6(5), Khairudinova was up 4-2 and had a game point for 5-2 in the second. She served for the match twice, but each time Pfeifler rallied and ultimately won the second set in a tiebreaker, 7-6(3).
Khairudinova regrouped for the final set. At 2-1, Pfeifler took a medical time out. Khairudinova would win the next three games for a 5-1 lead. Serving for the match a third time, Pfeifler broke Khairudinova again, but on the ensuing game, Khairudinova answered to clinch the 4-3 victory.
"Proud of Zalina for turning it around again after dropping the second set, because that's not easy to do when you are up and then lose the set in a tiebreaker. She had the opportunity to put it away in the second set, and she has to learn to be able to do that."
Khairudinova improved to 6-0 at No. 6 singles and afterwards she talked about closing it out in the third set.
"I was going for the right shots and telling myself that I have to be more disciplined. I knew that she was not at her best, because she was cramping. That gave me more energy. I kept telling myself I had to win it not for myself, but for my teammates, and I am happy I could do it."
After dropping the doubles point, the Rebels were able to start the rally with a straight set win from junior Mai El Kamash. She dominated Emily Flickinger 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3 for her 20th win of the year.
Senior Julia Jones, ranked No. 12 nationally, improved to 12-3 at No. 1 singles with a 6-1, 6-4 win over 74th-ranked Pleun Burgmans. Her 95th career win made it 2-1 Rebels.
Freshman Natalie Suk took out Auburn's Reka Muller 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4 singles to add to the lead (3-1).
Auburn answered when Paula de Man defeated Rebel senior Erin Stephens 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles and then Andie Dikosavljevic defeated Arianne Hartono in two tiebreakers, 7-6(5), 7-6(6) to set up the final outcome at six.
"We were able to get a couple of quick singles matches after dropping a close doubles point, which was impressive, because they (Auburn) are all good players," Beyers said. "Julia was able to win 4 and 1, Mai beat a great player and then Natalie winning in two sets against a very good player was big. Thank goodness we were able to get one more point."
The Rebels are on the road next weekend at No. 3 Florida and South Carolina.
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook atOleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis.
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