Alabama Women’s Tennis Wins Program’s First SEC Regular-Season Title

The ninth-ranked Alabama women’s tennis team secured its first Southeastern Conference Regular-Season Championship on Sunday afternoon with a 4-0 victory over No. 31 Tennessee at Barksdale Stadium. The Crimson Tide wrapped up the 2014 regular season with a 12-1 mark in league play, its best record in program history, and enters postseason play with a 20-3 overall mark. The win was also head coach Jenny Mainz’s 200^th victory at Alabama, while the loss dropped the Lady Volunteers to 12-11 overall and 6-7 against SEC opponents.

The Tide got off to a quick start again as it did Friday, winning a pair of doubles matches to secure the first point. On court two, 43^rd-ranked Mary Anne Daines and Danielle Spielmann cruised to an 8-2 victory over Brittany Lindl and Victoria Olivarez for Alabama’s first victory. No. 52 Emily Zabor and Luicelena Perez followed that up with an 8-5 win on court three to award the Tide the point.

Alabama used its momentum from doubles to carry it in singles, winning all three of its finished matches in straight sets. Natalia Maynetto dropped just one game en route to a 6-1, 6-0 victory on court six over Ashlee Boles to give the Tide its second point of the afternoon. Spielmann then posted a 6-0, 6-1 decision over Laurence Guevremont on court two shortly before No. 64 Erin Routliffe clinched the team victory on court three, winning 6-1, 6-3.

This is Alabama’s second-straight 20-win season under Mainz and its fifth in program history.

Next up, the Tide heads to Columbia, Mo., for the 2014 SEC Tournament. As the No. 1 seed, Alabama’s first match will take place on Friday, April 18.