Photo by: Sydney Morriss/Texas A&M Athletics
Makarova, Stoiana Sweep SEC Weekly Awards
Mar 09, 2022 | Women's Tennis
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas A&M women's tennis swept the Southeastern Conference weekly honors for the second time in the 2022 season, as Tatiana Makarova was named Player of the Week and Mary Stoiana garnered Freshman of the Week according to the league office Wednesday afternoon.
Makarova completed a marquee week to begin the 2022 SEC season, guiding Texas A&M to a pair of key league wins against South Carolina and then-No. 13 Florida. Against the Gamecocks, Makarova pulled out a three-set victory over No. 74 Ayana Akli, punctuating the team's dominant 6-1 effort to open conference play. Makarova took charge against the Gators and logged a pair of ranked victories in both singles and doubles play. Alongside Jayci Goldsmith, Makarova toppled the No. 10 doubles team in the nation, defeating Carly Briggs and Marlee Zein in a dominant 6-2 outing. In singles, Makarova logged A&M's third point of the match in the eventual 5-2 victory, defeating No. 47 Zein in a 6-3, 6-0 demolition.
Stoiana took charge in the weekend's first match against South Carolina, taking on the veteran Megan Davies and locking in a domineering 6-1, 6-1 result to put the Aggies ahead 3-0 in the eventual 6-1 rout. In doubles play against the Gamecocks, she teamed up with Carson Branstine to clinch the doubles point at the No. 2 position. Later in the weekend, Stoiana and Branstine recorded their first ranked doubles victory together, taking down No. 12 Alicia Dudeney and Bente Spee in a 6-4 performance to clinch the doubles point for the second time in SEC play. Stoiana secured the fifth and final point against the Gators in singles against No. 119 Dudeney, logging a three-set ranked win to finalize the 5-2 result. Stoiana, a native of Southbury, Connecticut, was the only freshman in the Southeastern Conference to record both a singles and doubles ranked win on the weekend, seeing her improve to 7-2 in ranked singles matches with a 1-0 record in ranked doubles tests.
Makarova's Player of the Week accolade marks the first SEC Weekly Honor of her storied career, which dates back to the 2017-18 academic year. She holds the Texas A&M record for highest doubles ranking alongside Jayci Goldsmith at No. 3 and ranks in the top-10 in both singles and doubles career victories in the Maroon & White. Stoiana earned SEC Freshman of the Week designation for the second time this season, the first time an Aggie has earned the award twice or more in the same season since Saska Gavrilovska took the title home four times in the 2014 campaign.
The Aggies return to action on Friday, March 11 in the Magnolia State, as the Maroon & White face off with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a 4 p.m. first serve at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
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.
Makarova completed a marquee week to begin the 2022 SEC season, guiding Texas A&M to a pair of key league wins against South Carolina and then-No. 13 Florida. Against the Gamecocks, Makarova pulled out a three-set victory over No. 74 Ayana Akli, punctuating the team's dominant 6-1 effort to open conference play. Makarova took charge against the Gators and logged a pair of ranked victories in both singles and doubles play. Alongside Jayci Goldsmith, Makarova toppled the No. 10 doubles team in the nation, defeating Carly Briggs and Marlee Zein in a dominant 6-2 outing. In singles, Makarova logged A&M's third point of the match in the eventual 5-2 victory, defeating No. 47 Zein in a 6-3, 6-0 demolition.
Stoiana took charge in the weekend's first match against South Carolina, taking on the veteran Megan Davies and locking in a domineering 6-1, 6-1 result to put the Aggies ahead 3-0 in the eventual 6-1 rout. In doubles play against the Gamecocks, she teamed up with Carson Branstine to clinch the doubles point at the No. 2 position. Later in the weekend, Stoiana and Branstine recorded their first ranked doubles victory together, taking down No. 12 Alicia Dudeney and Bente Spee in a 6-4 performance to clinch the doubles point for the second time in SEC play. Stoiana secured the fifth and final point against the Gators in singles against No. 119 Dudeney, logging a three-set ranked win to finalize the 5-2 result. Stoiana, a native of Southbury, Connecticut, was the only freshman in the Southeastern Conference to record both a singles and doubles ranked win on the weekend, seeing her improve to 7-2 in ranked singles matches with a 1-0 record in ranked doubles tests.
Makarova's Player of the Week accolade marks the first SEC Weekly Honor of her storied career, which dates back to the 2017-18 academic year. She holds the Texas A&M record for highest doubles ranking alongside Jayci Goldsmith at No. 3 and ranks in the top-10 in both singles and doubles career victories in the Maroon & White. Stoiana earned SEC Freshman of the Week designation for the second time this season, the first time an Aggie has earned the award twice or more in the same season since Saska Gavrilovska took the title home four times in the 2014 campaign.
The Aggies return to action on Friday, March 11 in the Magnolia State, as the Maroon & White face off with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a 4 p.m. first serve at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
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.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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