No. 3 A&M Falls in Semifinal of ITA National Team Indoor Championships – Texas A&M Athletics

SEATTLE, Wash. – The No. 3 Texas A&M women’s tennis team fell in a semifinal battle at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships with No. 2 North Carolina (4-2) Sunday, Feb. 12 at the Nordstrom Tennis Center.
 

The Maroon & White (8-1) opened the semifinal with a pair of top-50 ranked wins. Carson Branstine/Mary Stoiana defeated No. 32 Reese Brantmeier/Elizabeth Scotty (6-1) on court 1. Jayci Goldsmith/Salma Ewing sealed the deal on court 2 against No. 1 Fiona Crawley/Carson Tanguilig (6-3) clinching the doubles point.
 

Following an early A&M advantage, the Tar Heels (13-0) responded in the singles taking two quick points on courts 1 and 2 giving them the lead, 2-1. Daria Smetannikov secured the lone singles point for the Aggies as she bested No. 18 Anika Yarlagadda (6-1, 2-6, 6-0) on court 6, knotting the squads at two. Despite a late rally from No. 59 Jayci Goldsmith, No. 63 Reilly Tran snatched the third point for UNC (6-4, 2-6, 6-3) on court 5. Ewing forced a third-set tiebreaker on court 3 after facing multiple match points, but No. 9 Tanguilig closed the game and match for the Tar Heels (6-0, 4-6, 7-6(2)). Mia Kupres was locked into a battle on court 4, as she was winning in the third set versus No. 12 Abbey Forbes (6-1, 6-7(3), 5-4) before the match was abandoned.
 
COACH’S QUOTES
Head coach Mark Weaver on today’s matchup…
“I am very proud of this amazing group. We came here to bring back a national title but just fell short to the three-time defending champions and it was a fight to the bitter end. Matches like this will make us stronger moving forward and the experience can really help us get across the finish line later on in the season.”
 
UP NEXT

The Aggies return to the road travelling to Orlando, Florida Feb. 24-27. The Maroon & White will play a trio of matches versus FIU, No. 11 Ohio State and Northwestern at the USTA National Campus.
 
MATCH STATS
Singles Results
Branstine (5-1) – No. 1 Crawley (4-6, 1-6)
No. 8 Stoiana (5-1) – No. 122 Brantmeier (6-7(5), 4-6)
Ewing (4-1) – No. 9 Tanguilig (0-6, 6-4, 6-7(2))
Kupres (6-0) – No. 12 Forbes (6-1, 6-7(3), 5-4) unfinished
No. 59 Goldsmith (4-2) – No. 62 Scotty (4-6, 6-2, 3-6)
Smetannikov (6-0) def. No. 18 Yarlagadda (6-1, 2-6, 6-0)
 
Doubles Results
Branstine/Stoiana (6-0) def. No. 32 Brantmeier/Scotty (6-1)
Goldsmith/Ewing (6-1) def. No. 1…