No. 12 Michigan Upsets No. 17 Florida, Punches Ticket to NCAA Third Round

Lily Jones rallies from slow start to clinch 4-2 victory as Wolverines advance to face North Carolina

ANN ARBOR, Mich. | The Michigan Wolverines women's tennis is moving on — and doing it with grit.

In a high-stakes NCAA Tournament showdown, No. 12 Michigan knocked off No. 17 Florida Gators women's tennis 4-2 on Sunday at the Varsity Tennis Center, advancing to the third round for the fourth consecutive season.

The hero? Lily Jones.

With the match hanging in the balance after Florida trimmed Michigan’s lead to 3-2, Jones delivered a dramatic comeback at No. 1 singles. After dropping the first set and falling behind 2-0 in the second, she flipped the script in dominant fashion — winning 12 of the next 13 games to secure the clinching point in a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Doubles Drama Sets the Tone

Michigan’s path to victory began with a gritty doubles point that showcased its resilience under pressure.

After Florida struck first at No. 2 doubles, the Wolverines responded in dramatic fashion. The No. 3 duo of Piper Charney and Emily Sartz-Lunde battled through a tense tiebreak to win 7-6 (2), while Jessica Bernales and Jones sealed the point at No. 1 with a marathon tiebreak victory — converting on their ninth match point to give Michigan a 1-0 lead.

UC San Diego Softball Sweeps Doubleheader, Secures No. 6 Seed in Big West Championship

Tritons surge past CSU Bakersfield behind clutch hitting and dominant starts, setting stage for postseason push in Fullerton

SAN DIEGO | The UC San Diego Tritons softball closed the regular season with authority Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader against the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners softball to clinch the No. 6 seed in the Big West Softball Championship.

With a 7-4 comeback win in game one and a commanding 7-2 victory in game two at SDSU Softball Stadium, UC San Diego improved to 23-26 overall and 12-15 in conference play — peaking at the right time as postseason action looms.

Game One: Tritons Rally Behind Explosive Third Inning

After falling behind 3-0 in the opening inning, UC San Diego wasted little time responding. Maalia Cherry jumpstarted the offense with a solo home run — her 15th of the season — before Tori Hinostro added an RBI single to cut the deficit.

The turning point came in the third inning, when the Tritons erupted for five runs in a decisive rally. Zara Wasserman’s sacrifice bunt tied the game, while Lily Hermosillo and Jackie Tremper delivered back-to-back clutch hits, including a two-RBI double that flipped momentum firmly in UC San Diego’s favor.

The Tritons added an insurance run in the sixth, and their pitching staff shut the door to secure the 7-4 win.

Game Two: Early Fireworks Seal the Sweep

UC San Diego carried that momentum into game two — and this time, there was no comeback needed.

The Tritons exploded for five runs in the first inning, highlighted by Dylan Kunkle’s first career grand slam — a towering shot to left-center that instantly put the Roadrunners on their heels.

UC San Diego continued to apply pressure in the second inning, with Cherry and Wasserman delivering RBI hits to extend the lead to 7-0. CSU Bakersfield managed just two runs across the final innings, unable to recover from the early deficit.

Tritons Trending at the Right Time

The sweep not only secured postseason positioning but underscored a team finding its rhythm when it matters most. Haley Garcia led the charge across both games, tallying four hits, three runs scored, and a stolen base in a standout all-around performance.

With confidence building and the lineup producing in key moments, UC San Diego now turns its focus to the postseason.

The Tritons will open Big West Championship play Wednesday against UC Santa Barbara Gauchos softball in Fullerton, with first pitch set for 4:00 p.m. at Cal State Fullerton.

For a team that battled through a challenging regular season, the message is clear: UC San Diego is entering the tournament battle-tested — and dangerous.

======

-- By Michael R. Thomas

© Copyright 2026 JWT Communications. All rights reserved. This article cannot be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or distributed in any form without written permission.

No. 1 Auburn Women’s Tennis Dominates Miami 4-0, Advances to NCAA Super Regional

Tigers extend win streak to eight, remain unbeaten at home as historic postseason run continues in Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. | The nation’s top-ranked Auburn Tigers women's tennis delivered a statement performance Saturday, sweeping Miami Hurricanes women's tennis 4-0 to clinch the NCAA Auburn Regional and punch their ticket to the Super Regional for the second consecutive season.

In front of a spirited home crowd at the Yarbrough Tennis Center, Auburn showcased its dominance from the opening serve, capturing the doubles point decisively before rolling through singles play to secure the shutout victory.

“It was an amazing atmosphere today,” Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo said post-match. “The Auburn Family showed up and made a really big difference for us… We had our best doubles point of the year.”

The Tigers wasted no time setting the tone. The No. 3 doubles pair of Ekaterina Khairutdinova and Ashton Bowers cruised to a 6-1 win, while Ava Esposito and DJ Bennett rallied to win six straight games on the top court, clinching the doubles point and energizing the home crowd.

From there, Auburn’s momentum proved unstoppable.

Senior standout Angella Okutoyi delivered a commanding straight-sets victory, improving her dual-match record to 19-2 and giving Auburn a 2-0 lead. Bowers followed with another dominant performance, completing a perfect weekend and setting a new program record with 62 combined wins during the 2025–26 season — the most in a single year in Auburn history.