Sunday, March 20
Bryan-College Station
11:00 AM
Texas A&M
6
vs
1
Kentucky
Photo by: Kate Luffman/Texas A&M Athletics
Singles Surge Powers No. 12 Aggies Past Kentucky, 6-1
Mar 20, 2022 | Women's Tennis
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – After falling into an early 1-0 deficit in doubles, No. 12 Texas A&M women's tennis roared to life in singles play as the Aggies defeated the Kentucky Wildcats in a 6-1 decision Sunday at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
The 2022 Aggies became the fastest team in school history to cross the 20-win threshold, climbing to 20-1 through this point in the season. A&M is an unblemished 6-0 in Southeastern Conference matches, the first time an Aggie team has accomplished that feat since the 2013 SEC Regular Season Champions rattled off eight consecutive league wins. Kentucky falls to 12-7 overall with an 0-6 start to SEC play.
After dropping the first point of the match in the doubles competition, the Aggies responded by taking five-of-six first sets in singles. The Maroon & White cruised to win in straight sets on five courts and took the final match in three frames. Jayci Goldsmith started the A&M scoring off with a 6-2, 6-1 drubbing of Fiona Arrese on court four, with No. 80 Mary Stoiana following shortly thereafter with a 6-2, 6-1 win of her own over Florencia Urrutia at the No. 3 spot. A&M surged ahead by a 3-1 margin after Katya Townsend recorded her second SEC singles win of the season in a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Maialen Morante. No. 37-ranked Tatiana Makarova notched her fourth clinch victory this season and her second deciding point of the weekend in a 6-1, 6-3 win over Carla Girbau on court two.
A&M took its first insurance point in the only ranked singles matchup of the afternoon, with No. 41 Carson Branstine toppling No. 108 Carlota Molina in a 6-3, 6-2 effort. After being shut out in her opening frame, Gianna Pielet returned to the win column with a 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 finish over Lidia Gonzalez that finalized the 6-1 team score.
Kentucky took the opening point of the match in doubles play, winning on courts two and three to secure the early lead. Third-ranked Goldsmith and Makarova beat Arrese and Gonzalez in a 6-3 effort in the top line match. The Aggie duo has won 24 matches this season and has not lost a match together in over a month.
In individual accolades, Makarova made history yet again by becoming the fourth Aggie in school history to enter the century club in career doubles wins. Her all-time doubles record of 100-44 places her in a tie for the third most doubles triumphs in school history, matching the record set by All-American and Big 12 Champion Jessica Roland. In singles, Makarova moves into a tie for sixth place all-time in career victories, notching 92 in her storied tenure. Near the midway point of the league schedule, all seven Aggies that have competed in SEC matches have a .500-or-better record in singles play. Goldsmith, Makarova and Stoiana lead the way, having won each of their six opportunities this season.
UP NEXT
No. 12 Texas A&M women's tennis hits the road on Friday, March 25, as the Aggies visit the Tennessee Lady Vols in an 11 a.m. (CT) first serve from Barksdale Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
POSTMATCH QUOTES
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Weaver
On the team's successful weekend at home…
"I am very pleased with the weekend. At the end of the day, we won a pair of SEC matches by 6-1 scores. Every SEC match is a battle and we were able to come away with both matches this weekend rather decisively. We have a big road trip ahead of us against Tennessee and Georgia. Our team will be ready to go. I am very excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of us."
On A&M's recipe for success going forward…
"We have a lot of confidence and a lot of momentum going right now. Our team is on a hot streak and we should have a lot of confidence in ourselves. We have played well at home, and for that matter, we have played well away from our home courts as well. This team strives to get better and better every day. Our goal is to consistently discover new ways to improve as tennis players, which will help us to continue having success this year."
Senior Katya Townsend
On her return to SEC singles action…
"It means the world to me, because I have been through a lot in the past year. I have been forced to be patient. I love this team. It feels amazing to finally be able to help them succeed. Especially in SEC matches, I feel as though I've had a strong career in SEC play over the years, so being able to be here and fight for the team has truly been a help to me personally."
On the team's competitive spirit…
"I think that everybody on this team, all 12 of us, are such amazing tennis players. Everyone on the roster plays at such a high level. Part of the reason why we have been so successful is that we push each other every single day. We are super competitive with one another, which prepares us to come out and play each week. With the SEC being such a competitive conference, I think that preparation in practice has helped us, and will continue to help us as we try to do something special."
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
#12 Texas A&M 6, Kentucky 1
George P. Mitchell Tennis Center – Bryan-College Station, Texas
SINGLES
1. #41 Carson Branstine (TAMU) def. #108 Carlota Molina (UK) 6-3, 6-2
2. #37 Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) def. Carla Girbau (UK) 6-1, 6-3
3. #80 Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. Florencia Urrutia (UK) 6-2, 6-1
4. Jayci Goldsmith (TAMU) def. Fiona Arrese (UK) 6-2, 6-1
5. Gianna Pielet (TAMU) def. Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Katya Townsend (TAMU) def. Maialen Morante (UK) 6-3, 6-1
DOUBLES
1. #3 Jayci Goldsmith / Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) def. Fiona Arrese / Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 6-3
2. Ellie Eades / Carla Girbau (UK) def. #27 Carson Branstine / Mary Stoiana (TAMU) 6-3
3. Carlota Molina / Florencia Urrutia (UK) def. Jeanette Mireles / Gianna Pielet (TAMU) 6-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,3,6,2,1,5)
POSTMATCH NOTES
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN.
The 2022 Aggies became the fastest team in school history to cross the 20-win threshold, climbing to 20-1 through this point in the season. A&M is an unblemished 6-0 in Southeastern Conference matches, the first time an Aggie team has accomplished that feat since the 2013 SEC Regular Season Champions rattled off eight consecutive league wins. Kentucky falls to 12-7 overall with an 0-6 start to SEC play.
After dropping the first point of the match in the doubles competition, the Aggies responded by taking five-of-six first sets in singles. The Maroon & White cruised to win in straight sets on five courts and took the final match in three frames. Jayci Goldsmith started the A&M scoring off with a 6-2, 6-1 drubbing of Fiona Arrese on court four, with No. 80 Mary Stoiana following shortly thereafter with a 6-2, 6-1 win of her own over Florencia Urrutia at the No. 3 spot. A&M surged ahead by a 3-1 margin after Katya Townsend recorded her second SEC singles win of the season in a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Maialen Morante. No. 37-ranked Tatiana Makarova notched her fourth clinch victory this season and her second deciding point of the weekend in a 6-1, 6-3 win over Carla Girbau on court two.
A&M took its first insurance point in the only ranked singles matchup of the afternoon, with No. 41 Carson Branstine toppling No. 108 Carlota Molina in a 6-3, 6-2 effort. After being shut out in her opening frame, Gianna Pielet returned to the win column with a 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 finish over Lidia Gonzalez that finalized the 6-1 team score.
Kentucky took the opening point of the match in doubles play, winning on courts two and three to secure the early lead. Third-ranked Goldsmith and Makarova beat Arrese and Gonzalez in a 6-3 effort in the top line match. The Aggie duo has won 24 matches this season and has not lost a match together in over a month.
In individual accolades, Makarova made history yet again by becoming the fourth Aggie in school history to enter the century club in career doubles wins. Her all-time doubles record of 100-44 places her in a tie for the third most doubles triumphs in school history, matching the record set by All-American and Big 12 Champion Jessica Roland. In singles, Makarova moves into a tie for sixth place all-time in career victories, notching 92 in her storied tenure. Near the midway point of the league schedule, all seven Aggies that have competed in SEC matches have a .500-or-better record in singles play. Goldsmith, Makarova and Stoiana lead the way, having won each of their six opportunities this season.
UP NEXT
No. 12 Texas A&M women's tennis hits the road on Friday, March 25, as the Aggies visit the Tennessee Lady Vols in an 11 a.m. (CT) first serve from Barksdale Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
POSTMATCH QUOTES
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Weaver
On the team's successful weekend at home…
"I am very pleased with the weekend. At the end of the day, we won a pair of SEC matches by 6-1 scores. Every SEC match is a battle and we were able to come away with both matches this weekend rather decisively. We have a big road trip ahead of us against Tennessee and Georgia. Our team will be ready to go. I am very excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of us."
On A&M's recipe for success going forward…
"We have a lot of confidence and a lot of momentum going right now. Our team is on a hot streak and we should have a lot of confidence in ourselves. We have played well at home, and for that matter, we have played well away from our home courts as well. This team strives to get better and better every day. Our goal is to consistently discover new ways to improve as tennis players, which will help us to continue having success this year."
Senior Katya Townsend
On her return to SEC singles action…
"It means the world to me, because I have been through a lot in the past year. I have been forced to be patient. I love this team. It feels amazing to finally be able to help them succeed. Especially in SEC matches, I feel as though I've had a strong career in SEC play over the years, so being able to be here and fight for the team has truly been a help to me personally."
On the team's competitive spirit…
"I think that everybody on this team, all 12 of us, are such amazing tennis players. Everyone on the roster plays at such a high level. Part of the reason why we have been so successful is that we push each other every single day. We are super competitive with one another, which prepares us to come out and play each week. With the SEC being such a competitive conference, I think that preparation in practice has helped us, and will continue to help us as we try to do something special."
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
#12 Texas A&M 6, Kentucky 1
George P. Mitchell Tennis Center – Bryan-College Station, Texas
SINGLES
1. #41 Carson Branstine (TAMU) def. #108 Carlota Molina (UK) 6-3, 6-2
2. #37 Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) def. Carla Girbau (UK) 6-1, 6-3
3. #80 Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. Florencia Urrutia (UK) 6-2, 6-1
4. Jayci Goldsmith (TAMU) def. Fiona Arrese (UK) 6-2, 6-1
5. Gianna Pielet (TAMU) def. Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Katya Townsend (TAMU) def. Maialen Morante (UK) 6-3, 6-1
DOUBLES
1. #3 Jayci Goldsmith / Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) def. Fiona Arrese / Lidia Gonzalez (UK) 6-3
2. Ellie Eades / Carla Girbau (UK) def. #27 Carson Branstine / Mary Stoiana (TAMU) 6-3
3. Carlota Molina / Florencia Urrutia (UK) def. Jeanette Mireles / Gianna Pielet (TAMU) 6-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,3,6,2,1,5)
POSTMATCH NOTES
- The 2022 Aggies became the fastest team in school history to cross the 20-win threshold, climbing to 20-1 through this point in the season.
- A&M is an unblemished 6-0 in Southeastern Conference matches, the first time an Aggie team has accomplished that feat since the 2013 SEC Regular Season Champions rattled off eight consecutive league wins.
- Kentucky falls to 12-7 overall with an 0-6 start to SEC play.
- In the all-time series, Texas A&M trails Kentucky 14-8 after Sunday's victorious effort.
- Tatiana Makarova made history yet again by becoming the fourth Aggie in school history to enter the century club in career doubles wins. Her all-time doubles record of 100-44 places her in a tie for the third most doubles triumphs in school history.
- Near the midway point of the league schedule, all seven Aggies that have competed in SEC matches have a .500-or-better record in singles play.
- Jayci Goldsmith, Tatiana Makarova and Mary Stoiana lead the way, having won each of their six SEC singles opportunities this season.
- Mark Weaver climbs to 130-56 in his career as Texas A&M's head coach and is now 78-21 over the last four dual match seasons.
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
12
Carlota Molina / 0 (108/-) [UK]
32
66
#2 Singles Match
12
Carla Girbau / 0 [UK]
13
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Florencia Urrutia / 0 [UK]
21
66
#4 Singles Match
12
Fiona Arrese / 0 [UK]
21
66
#5 Singles Match
123
Lidia Gonzalez / 0 [UK]
644
066
#6 Singles Match
12
Maialen Morante / 0 [UK]
31
66
Order of Finish:
4,3,6,2,1,5
Players Mentioned
/ 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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