The women's tennis team celebrated a well-deserved victory Thursday when they defeated the University of Alabama by a score of 5-4. However, they could not defeat 10th-ranked Vanderbilt University, and lost the match 5-3 in the SEC Tennis Tournament.

The Tigers l ost six singles matches only to come away with one winning set. Senior Kimberely Kozlowski, playing in the No. 3 position, beat Cantillon Brasington, 6-0, 6-2.

Sophomore Ali LaGrange, playing in the No. 5 position, won her match against Amanda Ballinge r, 6-3, 6-1.

Playing in the No. 6 spot, freshman Heidii Stewart trampled Allison Eager 6-2, 6-0.

In the doubles round, No. 1 position doubles partners Nadia Smirnova and Olga Filatova, won two of three doubles matches, taking a win from the Tide. < p> Filatova and Smirnova's opponents were Camino and Whitney Dill. Auburn beat Alabama in this match in three tough sets and a tie-breaker, leaving the match at 7-6, 5-7, 6-3.

LaGrange and Stewart earned three of Auburn's five points of the match. Thei r 6-3, 6-4 win against Erin Braeuning and Brasington allowed the Tigers to win the match.

"We are happy with the win. It was the toughest match we played all year. It was like it should be with Auburn and Alabama. It was real tight, and we pulled this one through.

"You have to credit our players with hanging in there," Auburn tennis coach Randy Holden said after the match Thursday.

Unfortunately, things did not work out so well for the Tigers Friday as they lost a close match against 10th-ranked Vanderbilt.

"We fought as hard as we possibly could, but it all came down to one or two points that we just could not win," Holden said.

"After playing Kentucky earlier in the week and having a five-hour match yesterday (against Alabama), our kids s howed a lot of heart out there," Holden said.

Auburn was behind the eight ball quickly in the singles matches with the score of 3-1.

Winning on court five, LaGrange won her 18th team win of the match season, crushing Vandy's Leah Morelos with a 6-3 , 6-2 victory.

The outcome of courts four and three were determined within three sets. junior Sharon Mieres defeated Vanderbilt's Sarah Brown in the third set, winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-0.

Auburn's Stewart lost her match against Spencer Shelfer, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2.

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Mieres and Kate Brian, playing in the No. 2 doubles position for Auburn, pounded their opponents, Brown and Callie Creighton, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5.

Smirnova and Filatova, playing No. 1 doubles, were upset by the 25th-ranked Meredith Chiles and Kim Schiff, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.

Vanderbilt Head Coach Geoff MacDonald talked after the match about the doubles match.

"There were plenty of times when it looked like things could turn Auburn's way, but we did not panic. The last match went down to the final shot Ñ this was one of the very close matches that college tennis is all about," MacDonald said. The women's tenn is team celebrated a well-deserved victory Thursday when they defeated the University of Alabama by a score of 5-4. However, they could not defeat 10th-ranked Vanderbilt University, and lost the match 5-3 in the SEC Tennis Tournament.

The Tigers lost s ix singles matches only to come away with one winning set. Kozlowski, playing in the No. 3 position, beat Cantillon Brasington, 6-0, 6-2.

Sophomore Ali LaGrange, playing in the No. 5 position, won her match against Amanda Ballinger, 6-3, 6-1.

Playi ng in the No. 6 spot, freshman Heidii Stewart trampled Allison Eager 6-2, 6-0.

In the doubles round, No. 1 position doubles partners Nadia Smirnova and Olga Filatova, won two of three doubles matches, taking a win from the Tide.

Filatova and Smirno va's opponents were Camino and Whitney Dill. Auburn beat Alabama in this match in three tough sets and a tie-breaker, leaving the match at 7-6, 5-7, 6-3.

LaGrange and Stewart earned three of Auburn's five points of the match. Their 6-3, 6-4 win against Braeuning and Brasington allowed the Tigers to win the match.

"We are happy with the win. It was the toughest match we played all year. It was like it should be with Auburn and Alabama. It was real tight, and we pulled this one through."

"You have to credit our players with hanging in there," Holden said after the match Thursday.

Unfortunately, things did not work out so well for the Tigers Friday as they lost a close match against 10th-ranked Vanderbilt.