No. 13 Aggies Race after Houston and Texas State

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The No. 13 Texas A&M women’s tennis player improved to 4-0 on Saturday with a pair of 7-0 sweeps against the Houston Cougars and Texas State Bobcats. A&M edged their opponents by a 28-0 margin at this point in the season, scoring the most consecutive 7-0 wins in program history.

The Aggies started the day in doubles against the Cougars, with the No. 5 duo of Jayci Goldsmith and Tatiana Makarova booking a dominating 6-0 result over Maria Dzemeshkevich and Azul Pedemonti. Carson Branstine and Mary Stoiana came through on the second court, beating Blanca Cortijo Parreno and Laura Slisane 6-1. A&M’s No. 3 doubles team of Jeanette Mireles and Gianna Pielet held a 5-1 lead over Sophie Gerits and Gabriella Giraldo, but the match was left unfinished at the end of doubles play.

In singles against Houston, Goldsmith went 6-2, 6-1 against Cortijo Parreno just before Stoiana completed a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Pedemonti. With the Aggies up 3-0, Branstine picked up the win in his first college singles outing, toppling Slisane in a 6-1, 6-1 effort. Pielet and Mireles then finished with straight-set wins on their respective grounds, while No. 122 Makarova completed the 7-0 sweep with a three-set victory over Dzemeshkevich.

A&M’s second game of the day started with a 6-3 victory for Pielet and Renee McBryde over Jadeh Chan and Kate Malazonia. The Maroon & White clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 performance on court three by Isa Di Laura and Ellie Pittman against Maria Lora and Mae McCutcheon. Goldsmith and Makarova, ranked No. 5, led Sofia Fortuno and Hana Kvapilova, but the match was not over.

In singles, the Aggies have won six straight, marking the third game of the season won without a third set played. Pielet and McBryde ended their matches just before Stoiana won their second tag team match this season with a victory on the first court. The final three points of the 7-0 outing were added by Mireles, Di Laura and Pittman, respectively.

A&M is off to its most dominant start in the program’s annals, winning each of its first four doubles matches by scores of 7-0 while moving to 4-0 overall for the first time since the truncated 2020 roster. Pielet , a native of El Paso, Texas, was the only Aggie to compete in doubles and singles against both opponents, clinching a 3-0 record with an unfinished doubles match. In singles, Mireles and Stoiana are tied for first place on the team with 10 wins each, while Goldsmith and Makarova continue to lead the team with a 10-3 record in doubles.

FOLLOWING

No. 13 Texas A&M Women’s Tennis continues its 10-game home run on Thursday, Jan. 27 for the team’s final doubleheader before the ITA kickoff weekend. The first serve at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center is scheduled for 12:00 CT against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, followed by a 4:30 p.m. tee time against Prairie View A&M.

POST-MATCH QUOTES

TEXAS A&M QUOTES

Head Coach Mark Weaver

On improving to 4-0 without giving up a point in 2022…

“The Aggies are off to a great start and we look really good there. These games that we play, there are really decisive score lines. One of the challenges for the team is to keep bringing them every point, and I think we’ve done a great job of that. Obviously, we have a ton of really good tennis players in every position. We are in an ideal position to continue striving to do more and more. There’s no limit to how well this team can perform if we keep doing the right things, because there’s a ton of talent to look forward to.

On Gianna Pielet’s performance on Saturday…

“I think Gianna [Pielet] took a level today compared to what it was after the games last weekend. After getting over her nerves in the first few matches last week, I felt like she was able to let loose a bit more and really shine today. She really thrives in the team environment. She brings a ton of energy and she’s clearly having a really fun time, which is great to see.

Freshman Gianna Pielet

On the positives of the team environment…

“I felt really confident today and I felt like I exhausted all my nerves in the first game today. It really helps to have the support of your teammates. When you watch on your side, you see everyone lined up, and it’s just a great vibe. I feel like we all did our part today and we made it through that.

On the team’s dominance at the start of the season…

“I’m not surprised, because we have incredible talent. Our freshmen are strong, our seniors are strong and we have Carson [Branstine] who was such a great addition to our team. I feel like the sky is the limit right now, and I’m so excited to keep working hard with this awesome girl group.

TENNIS MATCH RESULTS

#13 Texas A&M 7, Houston 0

George P. Mitchell Tennis Center – Bryan-College Station, Texas

SIMPLE

1. Carson Branstine (TAMU) defeated. Laura Slisane (HOU) 6-1, 6-1

2. #122 Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) def. Maria Dzemeshkevich (HOU) 6-2, 5-7, 1-0(7)

3. Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. Azul Pedemonti (HOU) 6-1, 6-2

4. Jayci Goldsmith (TAMU) defeated. Blanca Cortijo Parreno (HOU) 6-2, 6-1

5. Gianna Pielet (TAMU) defeated. Sophie Gerits (HOU) 6-2, 6-2

6. Jeanette Mireles (TAMU) def. Gabriella Giraldo (HOU) 6-0, 6-2

DOUBLE

1. #5 Jayci Goldsmith / Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) def. Maria Dzemeshkevich / Azul Pedemonti (HOU) 6-0

2. Carson Branstine / Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. Blanca Cortijo Parreno / Laura Slisane (HOU) 6-1

3. Jeanette Mireles / Gianna Pielet (TAMU) v Sophie Gerits / Gabriella Giraldo (HOU) 5-1, unfinished

Finishing order: Doubles (1.2); Singles (4,3,1*,5,6,2)

#13 Texas A&M 7, State of Texas 0

George P. Mitchell Tennis Center – Bryan-College Station, Texas

SIMPLE

1. Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. Hana Kvapilova (TXST) 6-1, 6-1

2. Gianna Pielet (TAMU) defeated. Kate Malazonia (TXST) 6-0, 6-1

3. Jeanette Mireles (TAMU) def. Mae McCutcheon (TXST) 6-0, 6-1

4. Ellie Pittman (TAMU) defeated. Sofia Fortuno (TXST) 6-3, 6-2

5. Renee McBryde (TAMU) defeated. Maria Lora (TXST) 6-0, 6-1

6. Isa Di Laura (TAMU) defeated. Jadeh Chan (TXST) 6-0, 6-1

DOUBLE

1. #5 Jayci Goldsmith/Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) vs. Sofia Fortuno/Hana Kvapilova (TXST) 4-3, unfinished

2. Renee McBryde / Gianna Pielet (TAMU) def. Jadeh Chan / Kate Malazonia (TXST) 6-3

3. Isa Di Laura / Ellie Pittman (TAMU) def. Maria Lora / Mae McCutcheon (TXST) 6-2

Finishing order: Doubles (2.3); Singles (2,5,1*,3,6,4)

POST-MATCH NOTES

• Texas A&M climbs to 4-0 overall to start the season and edged their opponents by a 28-0 margin for the first time in program history.
• Houston and Texas State fall to 0-1 at the start of their doubles campaigns.
• A&M improves to 26-8 against Houston, and a 20-0 all-time series lead with Texas State.
• Gianna Pielet went 3-0 on Saturday, torn between two singles wins and a doubles victory.
• Head coach Mark Weaver climbs to 114-55 in his Texas A&M head coaching career, which began in the 2015-16 season.

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