Sunday, March 13
College Station
12:00 PM
Texas A&M
4
vs
3
Ole Miss
Photo by: Rob Havens
Texas A&M defeats Ole Miss 4-3 as Gonzalez wins in last match standing
Mar 13, 2016 | Women's Tennis
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M freshman Domenica Gonzalez fought off a match point and completed a high-pressured 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 come-from-behind victory over 73rd-ranked Tea Jandric in the last match standing to give the 16th-ranked Aggies a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory over No. 27 Ole Miss today at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
It was the team-leading eighth consecutive win -- as well as the second straight win against a ranked opponent -- for the Ecuador native, who trailed the second set, 5-2, before making the dramatic resurgence.
With the victory, Texas A&M remains undefeated in home matches at 8-0, and improves to 11-4 overall and 3-1 in Southeastern Conference matches. Ole Miss suffers its second consecutive 4-3 setback and falls to 8-3 overall and 1-3 in league play.
The Rebels jumped out to a 1-0 lead by winning the first two doubles matches to be completed. Jandric and her partner, Natalie Suk, were first off as they defeated A&M's 56th-ranked Rutuja Bhosale and Anna Mamalat, 6-1, at the No. 2 line. In a match-up of nationally ranked teams, Ole Miss' Mia El Kamash and Arianne Hartono clinched the point for the Rebels, winning three consecutive games to close out a 6-3 victory over A&M's 41st-ranked Eva Paalma and Rachel Pierson at No. 1.
Court 3 was on serve with Zalina Khairudinova and Marija Milutinovic of Ole Miss leading Gonzalez and Ines Deheza, 4-3, when play was stopped.
Although A&M would easily win the first two singles matches to be completed to take a 2-1 lead, Ole Miss seemed to still have control of the match, having won the first set on four of the six courts.
Pierson was first off and tied the team score at 1-1 with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over 62nd-ranked El Kamash at No. 3. Gavrilovska, No. 40 in the ITA singles rankings, followed, posting her third consecutive victory over a ranked opponent as she defeated 49th-ranked Hortono at the No. 1 line to give the Aggies a 2-1 lead.
A&M's lead would be short lived. Ole Miss' 79th-ranked Suk defeated Bhosale, 6-1, 6-4, at No. 2 to tie the score, 2-2. Less than five minutes later, Khairudinova completed a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Paalma at No. 5 to put the Rebels up, 3-2.
A&M's Ines Deheza, who had lost her first set, 6-4, to Allie Sanford at No. 6, had just won her second set, 6-2, to earn a split. Based on what was happening on the adjoining Court 4, it appeared the two might end up playing a 10-point super tiebreaker to determine the outcome of their match.
Deheza and Sanford watched as Jandric, who had pulled away for a 6-3 first-set win against Gonzalez, was serving for the match at 5-2 with the game score tied 40-40. Gonzalez won the point to stay alive.
Sanford and Deheza then began to play a full third set. Deheza, a senior from Bolivia, was continuously giving words of encouragement to Gonzalez while also taking command of her own match. As Deheza raced to a 6-0 third-set thumping to even the team score at 3-3, Gonzalez continued to fight, winning a total of four consecutive games to take a 6-5 lead in the second set. Jandric then held serve to tie the set, 6-6, and force a tiebreaker.
Gonzalez continued to build steam, winning the first two points and never trailing as she pulled away to win the tiebreaker, 7-5, and earn the split.
The third and deciding set was on serve at 2-2 before Gonzalez went up a break, 3-2. Gonzalez went on to win the next three games, including two 40-40 games, to complete the comeback and clinch the victory for the Aggies.
A&M opens the road portion of its SEC schedule against defending national champion and fifth-ranked Vanderbilt in Nashville on Thursday, March 17. First serve at the Currey Tennis Center is at 4 p.m.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieWomensTennis.
Texas A&M quotes:
Coach Mark Weaver:
On Domenica Gonzalez's comeback and getting the win…
"I've been part of the program for maybe 15 years now, and that is probably one of the best comebacks of all time, especially with a freshman down, 6-3, 5-2, and things definitely not going her way. She overcame a lot of adversity and helped pull us through in the end. But Domenica doesn't deserve all the credit (for the team win). Ines Deheza was down a set and 2-0 in the second and came back. Rachel (Pierson) and Saska (Gavrilovska) gave us two quick wins at Nos. 1 and 3 against some very good nationally ranked players. It was just an incredible comeback. I don't think things could have started out much worse for us, and to find a way to come back really says a lot about the character of our team."
On the doubles play…
"It was a disappointing doubles point. I felt like we were maybe a little bit flat. They came out and over-powered us and took it to us. I was surprised the wind seemed to affect us way more than it did them, at least in the doubles."
On the confidence the team gains from the win…
"It gives the team great confidence. Things didn't start out too well for us to say the least. We were way down, and they were basically about to put the last bit of dirt on us to bury us, and we snuck a way out, so it definitely builds confidence. Ole Miss is a very good team. They beat Stanford this season, and to beat Stanford any year in tennis says a lot about how good a team they are. So it definitely is a match to continue to build on. We continue to get better and better. Even if we had lost today, I truly felt like we were heading in the right direction, but it definitely helps when you do get a win, especially in the situation we had today."
Freshman Domenica Gonzalez:
On how it feels to get the win…
"I can't explain how amazing this is. (Tea Jandric) had match point. It was an incredible comeback. My teammate (Ines Deheza) next to me, she was down, and we came back. They were all supporting me, and I can't explain how happy I feel for this."
On Deheza encouraging her from the next court…
"We get along pretty good. We both speak Spanish and we are doubles partners. So we were just talking in Spanish, things like, 'we got this; we are here, we are going to win; this is all about us.' And she came back and won 6-0, so I was thinking I can't lose. I can't make her play a third set and lose after. She kept saying, 'You got this. You are going to win,' and it happened."
#16 Texas A&M 4, No. 27 Ole Miss 3
George P. Mitchell Tennis Center
College Station, Texas
March 13, 2016
Singles
1. #40 Saska Gavrilovska (A&M) def. #49 Arianne Hartono (OM), 6-2, 6-1
2. #79 Natalie Suk (OM) def. Rutuja Bhosale (A&M), 6-1, 6-4
3. Rachel Pierson (A&M) def. #62 Mai El Kamash (OM), 6-1, 6-1
4. Domenica Gonzalez (A&M) def. #73 Tea Jandric (OM), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2
5. Zalina Khairudinova (OM) def. Eva Paalma (A&M), 6-4, 6-2
6. Ines Deheza (A&M) def. Allie Sanford (OM), 4-6, 6-2, 6-0
Doubles (Ole Miss wins the point)
1. #27 El Kamash/Hartono (OM) def. #41 Paalma/Pierson (A&M), 6-3
2. Jandric/Suk (OM) def. #56 Bhosale/Anna Mamalat (A&M), 6-1
3. Deheza/Gonzalez (A&M) vs. Khairudinova/Marija Milutinovic (OM), 3-4 unfinished
Order of finish
Singles: 3, 1, 2, 5, 6, 4
Doubles: 2, 1
Team records:
Texas A&M: 11-4, 3-1 SEC
Ole Miss: 8-3, 1-3 SEC
Texas A&M Pronunciation Guide:
Rutuja Bhosale roo-too-jah bo-slay
Ines Deheza ee-NAY de-HAY-za
Saska Gavrilovska saush-ka gav-ril-ahv-ska
Stefania Hristov steff-on-ya RIS-tov
Anna Mamalat anna MAM-ah-LOT
Eva Paalma A-va paul-ma
It was the team-leading eighth consecutive win -- as well as the second straight win against a ranked opponent -- for the Ecuador native, who trailed the second set, 5-2, before making the dramatic resurgence.
With the victory, Texas A&M remains undefeated in home matches at 8-0, and improves to 11-4 overall and 3-1 in Southeastern Conference matches. Ole Miss suffers its second consecutive 4-3 setback and falls to 8-3 overall and 1-3 in league play.
The Rebels jumped out to a 1-0 lead by winning the first two doubles matches to be completed. Jandric and her partner, Natalie Suk, were first off as they defeated A&M's 56th-ranked Rutuja Bhosale and Anna Mamalat, 6-1, at the No. 2 line. In a match-up of nationally ranked teams, Ole Miss' Mia El Kamash and Arianne Hartono clinched the point for the Rebels, winning three consecutive games to close out a 6-3 victory over A&M's 41st-ranked Eva Paalma and Rachel Pierson at No. 1.
Court 3 was on serve with Zalina Khairudinova and Marija Milutinovic of Ole Miss leading Gonzalez and Ines Deheza, 4-3, when play was stopped.
Although A&M would easily win the first two singles matches to be completed to take a 2-1 lead, Ole Miss seemed to still have control of the match, having won the first set on four of the six courts.
Pierson was first off and tied the team score at 1-1 with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over 62nd-ranked El Kamash at No. 3. Gavrilovska, No. 40 in the ITA singles rankings, followed, posting her third consecutive victory over a ranked opponent as she defeated 49th-ranked Hortono at the No. 1 line to give the Aggies a 2-1 lead.
A&M's lead would be short lived. Ole Miss' 79th-ranked Suk defeated Bhosale, 6-1, 6-4, at No. 2 to tie the score, 2-2. Less than five minutes later, Khairudinova completed a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Paalma at No. 5 to put the Rebels up, 3-2.
A&M's Ines Deheza, who had lost her first set, 6-4, to Allie Sanford at No. 6, had just won her second set, 6-2, to earn a split. Based on what was happening on the adjoining Court 4, it appeared the two might end up playing a 10-point super tiebreaker to determine the outcome of their match.
Deheza and Sanford watched as Jandric, who had pulled away for a 6-3 first-set win against Gonzalez, was serving for the match at 5-2 with the game score tied 40-40. Gonzalez won the point to stay alive.
Sanford and Deheza then began to play a full third set. Deheza, a senior from Bolivia, was continuously giving words of encouragement to Gonzalez while also taking command of her own match. As Deheza raced to a 6-0 third-set thumping to even the team score at 3-3, Gonzalez continued to fight, winning a total of four consecutive games to take a 6-5 lead in the second set. Jandric then held serve to tie the set, 6-6, and force a tiebreaker.
Gonzalez continued to build steam, winning the first two points and never trailing as she pulled away to win the tiebreaker, 7-5, and earn the split.
The third and deciding set was on serve at 2-2 before Gonzalez went up a break, 3-2. Gonzalez went on to win the next three games, including two 40-40 games, to complete the comeback and clinch the victory for the Aggies.
A&M opens the road portion of its SEC schedule against defending national champion and fifth-ranked Vanderbilt in Nashville on Thursday, March 17. First serve at the Currey Tennis Center is at 4 p.m.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieWomensTennis.
Texas A&M quotes:
Coach Mark Weaver:
On Domenica Gonzalez's comeback and getting the win…
"I've been part of the program for maybe 15 years now, and that is probably one of the best comebacks of all time, especially with a freshman down, 6-3, 5-2, and things definitely not going her way. She overcame a lot of adversity and helped pull us through in the end. But Domenica doesn't deserve all the credit (for the team win). Ines Deheza was down a set and 2-0 in the second and came back. Rachel (Pierson) and Saska (Gavrilovska) gave us two quick wins at Nos. 1 and 3 against some very good nationally ranked players. It was just an incredible comeback. I don't think things could have started out much worse for us, and to find a way to come back really says a lot about the character of our team."
On the doubles play…
"It was a disappointing doubles point. I felt like we were maybe a little bit flat. They came out and over-powered us and took it to us. I was surprised the wind seemed to affect us way more than it did them, at least in the doubles."
On the confidence the team gains from the win…
"It gives the team great confidence. Things didn't start out too well for us to say the least. We were way down, and they were basically about to put the last bit of dirt on us to bury us, and we snuck a way out, so it definitely builds confidence. Ole Miss is a very good team. They beat Stanford this season, and to beat Stanford any year in tennis says a lot about how good a team they are. So it definitely is a match to continue to build on. We continue to get better and better. Even if we had lost today, I truly felt like we were heading in the right direction, but it definitely helps when you do get a win, especially in the situation we had today."
Freshman Domenica Gonzalez:
On how it feels to get the win…
"I can't explain how amazing this is. (Tea Jandric) had match point. It was an incredible comeback. My teammate (Ines Deheza) next to me, she was down, and we came back. They were all supporting me, and I can't explain how happy I feel for this."
On Deheza encouraging her from the next court…
"We get along pretty good. We both speak Spanish and we are doubles partners. So we were just talking in Spanish, things like, 'we got this; we are here, we are going to win; this is all about us.' And she came back and won 6-0, so I was thinking I can't lose. I can't make her play a third set and lose after. She kept saying, 'You got this. You are going to win,' and it happened."
#16 Texas A&M 4, No. 27 Ole Miss 3
George P. Mitchell Tennis Center
College Station, Texas
March 13, 2016
Singles
1. #40 Saska Gavrilovska (A&M) def. #49 Arianne Hartono (OM), 6-2, 6-1
2. #79 Natalie Suk (OM) def. Rutuja Bhosale (A&M), 6-1, 6-4
3. Rachel Pierson (A&M) def. #62 Mai El Kamash (OM), 6-1, 6-1
4. Domenica Gonzalez (A&M) def. #73 Tea Jandric (OM), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2
5. Zalina Khairudinova (OM) def. Eva Paalma (A&M), 6-4, 6-2
6. Ines Deheza (A&M) def. Allie Sanford (OM), 4-6, 6-2, 6-0
Doubles (Ole Miss wins the point)
1. #27 El Kamash/Hartono (OM) def. #41 Paalma/Pierson (A&M), 6-3
2. Jandric/Suk (OM) def. #56 Bhosale/Anna Mamalat (A&M), 6-1
3. Deheza/Gonzalez (A&M) vs. Khairudinova/Marija Milutinovic (OM), 3-4 unfinished
Order of finish
Singles: 3, 1, 2, 5, 6, 4
Doubles: 2, 1
Team records:
Texas A&M: 11-4, 3-1 SEC
Ole Miss: 8-3, 1-3 SEC
Texas A&M Pronunciation Guide:
Rutuja Bhosale roo-too-jah bo-slay
Ines Deheza ee-NAY de-HAY-za
Saska Gavrilovska saush-ka gav-ril-ahv-ska
Stefania Hristov steff-on-ya RIS-tov
Anna Mamalat anna MAM-ah-LOT
Eva Paalma A-va paul-ma
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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