As students left College Station for spring break on Friday, March 10, the No. 2 Texas A&M women’s tennis team held down the town for the Aggies as they defeated Arkansas.
The Razorbacks ended the match against the Aggies with their third straight loss to a conference opponent. They will move on to play a fourth ranked team in a row in LSU, who sits at No. 34.
A pair of graduates in Salma Ewing and Jayci Goldsmith took the first doubles match victory with a score of 6-3.
Following their win, sophomore and freshman duo Gianna Pielet and Mia Kupres secured the doubles point for the maroon and white with a score of 6-2 to add to A&M’s restarted doubles point winning streak.
The doubles match that featured senior Carson Branstine and sophomore Mary Stoiana did not finish, but the Aggies were losing on that court.
“There were some positives to take from the match, starting with the doubles point,” coach Mark Weaver said to 12thMan.com. “Arkansas has won some impressive doubles points this season, so coming away with that opening point was great.”
Welsh Razorback junior Morgan Cross was defeated by Goldsmith 6-2, 6-2 in their singles match on Court 4, bumping A&M up 2-0 over Arkansas.
Stoiana, the back-to-back SEC Player of the Week, overcame cardinal and white senior Kelly Keller on Court 1 with a score of 6-2 and 6-0. Last week marked Stoiana’s third SEC Player of the Week title this season.
Sophomore Jeannette Mireles clinched the win for the Aggies with her singles match triumph over fellow sophomore Grace O’Donnell on Court 6 by a score of 6-1 and 7-5. The Fightin’ Farmers, though, decided to play the match out.
A loss by freshman Daria Smetannikov on Court 5 by a score of 2-6, 6-3 and 3-6 ruined the potential clean sweep for A&M as Arkansas gained a point on the scoreboard.
“Every SEC match is a battle and Arkansas played well today,” Weaver said to 12thMan.com.
To close out the match, freshman Mia Kupres defeated English junior Indianna Spink 7-6 and 7-6. Kupres continued Court 3’s winning reputation, as that court has a winning percentage of .909.
The maroon and white will continue conference play and remain at home to rally next with Missouri on Sunday, March 12, at 12 p.m. at the Mitchell Tennis Center. The Tigers are on a four-game losing streak since playing away from Columbia, Missouri.
“Overall, I am pleased with the day, now we have a quick turnaround and play a good Missouri team Sunday,” said Weaver to 12thMan.com.