The Alabama women’s tennis team broke a 14-match losing streak as it posted a 4-0 win over the Missouri Tigers in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The match also represents the first win over an SEC opponent this season.
Junior Danielle Spelmann and freshman Bennett Dunn got the ball rolling in doubles play with a 6-1 win. The doubles point was then clinched on court one, where senior Natalia Maynetto and junior Erin Routliffe earned a 6-3 win, giving Alabama a 1-0 lead.
In singles play, Alabama started quickly by taking four of the first six sets. The two losses were both in tiebreakers. The Crimson Tide’s second team point came from junior Joanna Nena Savva’s 6-1, 6-2 victory. Then, No. 27 Routliffe won 6-2, 6-2 to give Alabama its third point before Dunn secured the victory, winning 6-4, 6-3.
Alabama will face the No. 6 seed Texas A&M Aggies on Thursday at 10 a.m. CT in the second round of the SEC Tournament.