The No. 8 Alabama women’s tennis team has started its SEC season 4-0 but will face its toughest opponent yet from the SEC. The Crimson Tide will travel to No. 21 Auburn on Friday and play its in-state rival.

“It’s always a good match with Auburn because it’s a healthy rivalry between the two universities,” coach Jenny Mainz said.

Alabama (12-2, 4-0 SEC) has not given up a point since SEC play started. The team won all four of its matches 4-0. For the first time in the last 10 years, Alabama won four straight matches without giving up a single point.

“It’s just great to start a season like that. I think it just shows everybody how hard we work,” sophomore Danielle Spielmann said. “It’s nice to see that it pays off for doing the right things. It’s a great satisfaction.”

(See also “Women’s tennis has grown under Mainz“)

Auburn is no pushover. The Tigers have a 14-2 record and are also undefeated in SEC play through four matches. The team has two more wins than Alabama, and its only two losses have been against No. 22 Texas and No. 26 Rice.

“Even though they are rivals, we will treat them like everybody else,” Spielmann said. “I think we know each other really well, and that makes it more difficult because we know each other’s strength and weaknesses.”

Both teams played in the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic in February and got to watch each other play. The teams were set up to play each other in the final, but Auburn lost to Rice in the semifinal. Alabama also got some action against some of the Auburn players in the fall season at the USTA/ITA Southern Regional Championships.

(See also “Tide women’s tennis team takes down Georgia State“)

“I have a lot of respect for their program,” Mainz said. “We’ve always had competitive matches with them, and I certainly expect this one to be the same.”

The match is important for both teams as far as SEC standings. Both teams are tied at the top, and a win will give an edge in the SEC race. There is a long road ahead for Alabama and Auburn in the next step.

“It’ll be a dogfight like they all are,” Mainz said. “We’re not content. We are hungry, and we want to keep getting better.”

(See also “Women’s tennis defeats Cavaliers in final match“)