Aggie Women’s Tennis Exits SEC Championship in Semifinal Round

News release from Texas A&M Athletics: 

The No. 2 Texas A&M women’s tennis team dropped a 4-1 decision to the No. 3 Auburn Tigers in Saturday’s SEC Championship semifinal action at Oklahoma’s Headington Family Tennis Center.

After fighting off a handful of match points, Violeta Martinez succumbed to No. 55 Ashton Bowers attack on court 5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 as Auburn (31-3) picked up the win. After an impressive showing in the second set to pull even, Martinez fell behind 5-0 in the decisive stanza, before clawing her way back, claiming three straight games.

No. 111 Daria Smetannikov earned the lone point of the match for Texas A&M (22-5). She topped No. 64 Ava Esposito, 6-4, 6-1 on court 6 less than a minute after Auburn claimed a 3-0 advantage.

The first singles win went to the Tigers on court 3. No. 70 Angella Okutyoyi was a 6-3, 6-1 winner over No. 62 Ilinca Amariei. Merna Refaat topped No. 123 Lexington Reed, 6-2, 6-4, on court 4 to put Auburn one point from advancing to the title match.

The Aggies let the doubles point slip away. Texas A&M got the upper hand early when Reed/Smetannikov made quick work of Bowers/Ekaterina Khairutdinova on court 3, 6-1. Auburn knotted the doubles with No. 2 DJ Bennett/Esposito topping No. 15 Mia Kupres/Lucciana Perez on court 1, 6-4. The Aggies’ No. 47 Amariei/Martinez led on court 2, 5-2, but No. 18 Okutoyi/Refaat won five straight games to take the point.

The first two courts were embroiled in battle when the contest halted. No. 1 Perez nosed ahead of No. 23 Bennett on the show court, 6-2, 6-7(3), 2-0. No. 41 Kupres and No. 28 Khairutdinova were locked in a stalemate, 4-6, 7-6(6), and headed to a third.

UP NEXT…
The Aggies learn their postseason assignment during the NCAA Division I Women’s Championship Selection Show Monday April 27 at 4:30 p.m.

More News