The Texas A&M women’s tennis doubles team of senior Jayci Goldsmith and graduate student Tatiana Makarova made it to the semifinals of the ITA Fall Championships on Nov. 6 before falling to the No. 3 seed from Old Dominion. 

On Thursday, Nov. 4, the No. 2 seed A&M pair opened the tournament with a win in three sets over Irina Cantos Siemers and Sydni Ratliff of Ohio State, 2-6, 6-4, [12-10]. The duo followed with a win on Friday, Nov. 5, over Princeton’s Daria Frayman and Grace Joyce in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.

Coach Mark Weaver described the duo’s performance as “very sharp from start to finish” through the first rounds.

“One of my main challenges for the girls was to come out with the blood pumping and high 

energy and ready to go right from the start,” Weaver told 12thMan.com.  “And they did all of that with flying colors. It is not easy winning a doubles match that decisively, especially at a national championship event.”

The Aggies resumed their run on Saturday, defeating Victoria Flores and Lisa Zaar, the No. 5 seed duo from Pepperdine, 4-6, 6-4, [10-3]. Goldsmith and Makarova were defeated in the semi-final round of the tournament by the No. 3 seeded Old Dominion team of Tatsiana Sasnouskaya and Yulia Starodubtseva. The ODU duo went on to place second in the tournament.

Despite the loss, Weaver said it was a great tournament for the doubles team, adding the maroon and white showed promise for the spring season.

“Unfortunately, we just missed out on a shot at the finals tomorrow,” Weaver said. “We had a 4-1 lead in the first set that we let slip away, and also had a set point at 6-5 that we couldn’t quite get. 

“The good news is that Tatiana and Jayci are playing the best tennis of their collegiate careers right now, and that really bodes well for our team as we head toward the spring season.”

A&M will host the Texas A&M Fall Invitational at home at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center on Friday, Nov 12.