AUBURN -- The record-setting season came to an abrupt end for the Arizona State women's tennis team on Saturday afternoon at the hands of No. 11 Auburn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Despite the No. 22 Sun Devils winning the doubles point, the match would be decided by six three-set matches with the Tigers winning four of the six singles matches for the 4-2 victory.
"In all my 33 years, we have only experienced six three-setters one other time," said head coach Sheila McInerney. "It was a great college match today and much credit goes to Auburn. We had the advantage winning the doubles point and the four first sets, but they are a tough minded team and it turned into a great battle. I'm sad for our team but proud of their efforts."
As McInerney said, the Devils got the match started as they have 19 other times this season, clinching the doubles point thanks to victories on court two by seniors Desirae Krawczyk and Stephanie Vlad and on court three by Kassidy Jump and Sammi Hampton.
Singles also started in ASU's favor, as four of the six women claimed the first set of their respective matches. From there, Auburn would regain momentum and turn the tide.
On court five, however, Hampton was the bright spot for ASU. Losing the first set didn't seem to effect her at all, as the freshman bounced back to dominate the final two sets 6-1, 6-2. That evened the score at 2-all after Auburn won on courts three and four.
But the Tigers would finish it with a hard-fought victory on courts one by No. 20 Andie Dikosavljevic over No. 35 Krawczyk, clinching the match with a 7-5 win in the second set and 6-4 win in the third.
The Devils' team season comes to an end in the round of 32 after a year that saw their best-ever conference finish, their second-ever victory over Pac-12 Champion Stanford -- the only conference loss handed the Cardinal this year -- and a Pac-12 Tournament Team Title. It also saw McInerney win her second-ever Pac-12 Coach of the Year Award as well as being named the ITA Southwest Region Coach of the Year.
Krawczyk and doubles pair Panoho and Osborne will now move on to singles and doubles NCAA Championships in Tulsa, Okla. starting on May 25.
#11 Auburn - 4, #22 Arizona State - 2
Yarbrough Tennis Center May 14, 2016 Doubles 1. #8 Burgmans/Michaud (AU) vs. #15 Panoho/Osborne (ASU) 3-4, unfinished 2. Krawczyk/Vlad (ASU) def. Dikosavljevic/Griffin (AU) 6-2
3. Jump/Hampton (ASU) def. de Man/Turner (AU) 6-3 Order of Finish: 2, 3 Singles 1. #20 Andie Dikosavljevic (AU) def. #35 Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 2. #31 Alizee Michaud (AU) def. #110 Kassidy Jump (ASU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
3. #70 Pleun Burgmans (AU) def. Ebony Panoho (ASU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
4. Alannah Griffin (AU) def. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 5. Sammi Hampton (ASU) def. Paula de Man (AU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
6. Caroline Turner (AU) vs. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) 2-6, 6-2, 5-3, unfinished Order of Finish: 2, 3, 5, 4, 1