No. 2 Aggies Open SEC Tournament Title Defense Friday
Apr 20, 2023 | Women's Tennis
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 2 Texas A&M women's tennis team gears up for an SEC Tournament Championship defense and opens play as the No. 1 seed. Following a two-round bye, the Aggies will play No. 34 Vanderbilt, Friday, April 21, at the Billingsley Tennis Center, with first serve set for 12 p.m.
The Aggies (25-1, 13-0 SEC) secured back-to-back perfect conference slates (13-0) and regular season SEC Championship titles, following their final two-win road trip versus then-No. 57 Kentucky (5-2) and then-No. 32 Vanderbilt (4-1). The team has won 29 straight SEC sanctioned matches, with an opportunity to run the entire conference slate undefeated for the second-straight season.
"There is a lot of excitement in the air as we approach the SEC tournament," head coach Mark Weaver said. "We are off to a great start with practices here in Fayetteville, and I expect the Aggies to come out and perform at a very high level on Friday."
The Southeastern Conference boasts five teams ranking in the top 25, including two in the top five as the Aggies lead the way as the second-best team in the nation. Eleven of the 14 schools in the conference are currently ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Last season, the Aggies ran the bracket on their way to an SEC Tournament title. The team faced Vanderbilt in the opening round, besting the Commodores (4-2) to advance to the semifinals. The Florida Gators were up next, and the Maroon & White outlasted them (4-3) as they advanced to the finals. A&M then had an opportunity to avenge its finals loss to Georgia from the 2020-21 season, which it did as it swept the Bulldogs (4-0) to win the first SEC Tournament title in program history.
Fans can follow the team in their quarterfinal match on Friday through Arkansas' live stream. Saturday's semifinals will air on SEC Network+, while Sunday's final will air live on SEC Network.
Live stats are available all week through Arkansas' website.
MATCH STATS
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 Aggies (25-1, 13-0 SEC) secured back-to-back perfect conference slates (13-0) and regular season SEC Championship titles, following their final two-win road trip versus then-No. 57 Kentucky (5-2) and then-No. 32 Vanderbilt (4-1). The team has won 29 straight SEC sanctioned matches, with an opportunity to run the entire conference slate undefeated for the second-straight season.
"There is a lot of excitement in the air as we approach the SEC tournament," head coach Mark Weaver said. "We are off to a great start with practices here in Fayetteville, and I expect the Aggies to come out and perform at a very high level on Friday."
The Southeastern Conference boasts five teams ranking in the top 25, including two in the top five as the Aggies lead the way as the second-best team in the nation. Eleven of the 14 schools in the conference are currently ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Last season, the Aggies ran the bracket on their way to an SEC Tournament title. The team faced Vanderbilt in the opening round, besting the Commodores (4-2) to advance to the semifinals. The Florida Gators were up next, and the Maroon & White outlasted them (4-3) as they advanced to the finals. A&M then had an opportunity to avenge its finals loss to Georgia from the 2020-21 season, which it did as it swept the Bulldogs (4-0) to win the first SEC Tournament title in program history.
Fans can follow the team in their quarterfinal match on Friday through Arkansas' live stream. Saturday's semifinals will air on SEC Network+, while Sunday's final will air live on SEC Network.
Live stats are available all week through Arkansas' website.
MATCH STATS
- Mia Kupres & Mary Stoiana lead the team and conference with 19 dual match singles wins.
- Kupres & Stoiana lead the Aggies in singles winning percentage .950 (Min. 10 dual matches played).
- In singles, court 3 holds the highest winning percentage at .955.
- Jayci Goldsmith/Salma Ewing lead the Maroon & White with 19 dual match doubles wins.
- In doubles, court 2 holds the highest winning percentage at .900.
- The Aggies boast a .947 winning percentage versus ranked opponents this season.
- The Maroon & White boast a 18-2 record in ranked doubles matches.
- A&M is currently on a 17-match win streak.
- The Aggies are on a 29-match unbeaten run in the SEC, following their undefeated conference schedule last season.
- The Maroon & White have won 53 consecutive matches when playing outdoors.
- Mary Stoiana is on a 14-match winning streak, which leads the team.
- Stoiana is undefeated in dual match doubles play among two pairs, 16-0.
- A&M has only allowed 21 points to its opposition all season when the Aggies win the match.
- The Maroon & White have lost only one match on court 3 this season.
- The Aggies have won 18 ranked matches this season, nine of those have been the top 25.
- A&M has lost only four doubles points through 22 dual matches.
- The Maroon & White have swept 11 opponents this season.
- Jayci Goldsmith has broken the program record for all-time doubles wins with 118.
- The Aggies have won back-to-back outright SEC regular season titles.
- The team has remained ranked No. 2 in the nation since February 28.
- Ranked in singles: No. 2 Mary Stoiana, No. 53 Carson Branstine, No. 57 Mia Kupres, No. 73 Salma Ewing, No. 111 Gianna Pielet and No. 115 Jayci Goldsmith.
- Ranked in doubles: No. 3 Stoiana/Branstine, No. 25 Goldsmith/Ewing, No. 55 Stoiana/Kupres and No. 63 Stoiana/Goldsmith.
- Mary Stoiana has been awarded SEC Player of the Week honors seven times this season: Feb. 1, March 1, March 8, March 29, April 5, April 12 and April 18.
- Mia Kupres was awarded SEC Freshman of the Week honors five times this season: Feb. 15, March 1, March 15, March 22 and April 5.
- Jayci Goldsmith was named to the SEC Community Service Team, April 13.
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
Georgia Postgame: Mark Weaver, Mary Stoiana, Mia Kupres
Sunday, May 18
Michigan Postgame: Mark Weaver, Nicole Khirin, Lexington Reed
Saturday, May 17
NCAA Team Championship Preview: Daria Smetannikov
Monday, May 12
NCAA Team Championship Preview: Mia Kupres
Monday, May 12