The Texas A&M women’s tennis team lost a close match in its SEC opener against Kentucky on Friday at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. The Aggies still have an impressive 10-3 record whereas Kentucky improves its record to 8-5 for the season.
Playing on indoor court due to extreme cold across the state, the home team started by dropping the doubles point on courts two and three.
“That was a tough one to swallow,” A&M coach Mark Weaver said. “Playing on just four indoor courts always changes the outlook of a dual match and adds in somewhat of an awkward dynamic in how the matches play out. We battled back extremely well after playing a subpar doubles point then got down 2-0 in the team score. We worked our way back 3-3 in the team match and got to a third set lead in the last match on and it looked like we were going to escape with a victory. Unfortunately, Kentucky hardly made an unforced error in those remaining games and that ultimately is what it comes down to when the team match is on the line. We talk about adversity all season and this is a perfect example of how will we respond with a quick turnaround playing against a good Arkansas team back home on Sunday.”
Down 1-0 when play started at four indoor courts, the Aggies fell 2-0 when Kentucky’s Lasedi Jacobs defeated A&M’s Jayci Goldsmith 6-2, 6-1 in an one-sided affair.
A&M then clawed its way back into the contest courtesy of back-to-back wins on courts one and three and tied the team match at 2. A&M ‘s Dorothea Faa-Hviding defeated No. 97 Carlota Molina 6-3, 6-3 on court three while Tatiana Makarova earned a 7-6(4), 6-3 win over Akvile Parazinskaite on court one.
Kentucky restored its lead as Carla Girbau beat Lucia Quiterio 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 on court four. The Aggies’ hope for a win was reignited when Renee McBryde came from a set down to defeat Diana Tkachenko. With the score even at 3, Kentucky’s Anastasia Tkachenko defeated A&M’s Riley McQuaid 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 on court six in a fitting decider to such a closely fought contest.
The Aggies next face Arkansas and Prairie View A&M in a Sunday doubleheader at the Mitchell Tennis Center.