There was much to celebrate at the Mitchell Tennis Center on Sunday, April 3, as No. 7 Texas A&M defeated Alabama 6-1 to secure a perfect home record on senior night.
With the win, the Aggies joined the 2014 squad as the only two teams in A&M history to finish a season perfect at home. The 2014 team went to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
The maroon and white started out hot, following a win from graduate Tatiana Makarova and senior Jayci Goldsmith on Court 1 and junior Carson Branstine and freshman Mary Stoiana on Court 2, securing the doubles point.
Beginning singles play, Stoiana was able to take down Alabama freshman Petra Sedlackova with straight sets. The three-time SEC Freshman of the Week has now improved to 19-1 on the season in singles play, including 12 straight wins as the Aggies improved to an early 2-0 lead.
“It felt really great to contribute as one of the first points on the board,” Stoiana told 12thman.com. “I really dug in and stayed really focused, because I wanted to help contribute to a really special win for our seniors today. They have worked so hard over the past few years, and they really deserve to enjoy this day.”
Other than a victory by Alabama sophomore Anne Marie Hiser on Court 5, the Aggies would go on to gain the remaining four points from Makarova, Goldsmith, Branstine and senior Katya Townsend to secure a 6-1 victory. The win marks the 15th-straight for the Aggies on the season and the 10th SEC victory of the year.
One of the most successful senior classes in program history was honored following the game. This included seniors Isa Di Laura, Renee McBryde, Makarova and Townsend. The group compiled a long list of accolades during their time wearing maroon and white, including an SEC Tournament Championship appearance in 2021. With only three matches remaining before the postseason, this group looks to add to an already impressive resume.
With the SEC Tournament only 17 days away, coach Mark Weaver described the attitude the players must have moving forward.
“We have done a really good job of taking it one match at a time. Our challenge right now is to stay hungry and to continue getting better and better every day,” Weaver told 12thman.com. “These last three matches can only be played one at a time; that’s the mindset we have to have. We have a tough test on Friday at LSU. Our team is going to get the day off tomorrow to rest up and recover after a well-fought weekend.”
The Aggies will begin a three-game road trip on Friday, April 8 as they head to Baton Rouge, La., for a matchup with LSU.