AUBURN, Ala. | Alabama State faced their second consecutive opponent from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), falling to Auburn at the Yarbrough Tennis Center 4-0 Friday evening.
Alabama State (1-4) has played four of their five matches this season on the road, including a season-opening loss at LSU. The Hornets turn their attention to another road match Sunday at Mercer, followed by a home match against West Alabama Monday.
Inside Singles Play
Alabama State fell in three of the six singles matches, as the final three matches were called to the team result being decided at 4-0 with a win at number five by Alex Rushin over
Alejo Calvis 6-0, 6-3.
Of the three matches unfinished, the Hornets lost the first set in each but were pushing the Tigers in the second set. At number one,
Ion Efrim trailed Tim Dollman by one set after dropping the opening set 6-4, however, he was at leading 3-2 in the second when the match was decided.
At number three singles,
Tomas Fernandez battled back from being broken three times in the opening set (6-0) and was facing set point in the second at 5-4; while at number four
Alexis Collard dropped the first set to Anders Fry 7-5 and was tied at 2-all in the second set.
The match involving Efrim was the third match that he was involved in at number on singles that did not finish this season.
Inside Doubles Play
The Hornets lost the doubles point, but did pick up a win at number two doubles when Fernandez and
Carl-Louis Luckmann claimed a thrilling 7-5 match over Auburn's Filippo Mora and Dollman.
Meanwhile, Efrim and Collard fell in a tiebreaker at number one doubles – the deciding match in doubles play – that gave Auburn the doubles point. They dropped a 7-6 (7-4) decision to Brandon Laubser and Tad Maclean.
Up Next
Alabama State hits the road Sunday for a match at Mercer, with the match set to begin at 11 am in Macon (Ga.), before returning home to face West Alabama Monday afternoon at 2 pm.
The match with West Alabama has been postponed twice due to weather, and was originally the season-opening match for the Hornets.
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