BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 13 Texas A&M women’s tennis improved to 4-0 Saturday with a pair of 7-0 sweeps against the Houston Cougars and Texas State Bobcats. A&M has outscored its opponents by a 28-0 margin through this point in the season, marking the most consecutive 7-0 victories in program history.
The Aggies started the day in doubles play against the Cougars, with the No. 5-ranked pairing of Jayci Goldsmith and Tatiana Makarova booking a dominant 6-0 result against Maria Dzemeshkevich and Azul Pedemonti. Carson Branstine and Mary Stoiana breezed by their opposition on court two, winning 6-1 against Blanca Cortijo Parreno and Laura Slisane. A&M’s No. 3 doubles team of Jeanette Mireles and Gianna Pielet held a commanding 5-1 lead over Sophie Gerits and Gabriella Giraldo, but the match went unfinished at the conclusion of doubles play.
In singles action against Houston, Goldsmith rattled off a 6-2, 6-1 result against Cortijo Parreno just before Stoiana completed a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Pedemonti. With the Aggies up 3-0, Branstine recorded the clinch victory in her first collegiate singles outing, toppling Slisane in a 6-1, 6-1 effort. Pielet and Mireles were next to finish with straight set wins on their respective courts, while No. 122 Makarova completed the 7-0 sweep with a three-set win over Dzemeshkevich.
A&M’s second match of the day started off with a 6-3 win by Pielet and Renee McBryde against 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 over Maria Lora and Mae McCutcheon. No. 5-ranked Goldsmith and Makarova led Sofia Fortuno and Hana Kvapilova, but the match went unfinished.
In singles play, the Aggies rattled off six straight-set victories, marking the third match of the season won without a third set played. Pielet and McBryde completed their matches just before Stoiana clinched her second team match this season with a win on court one. 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 program annals, winning each of its first four dual matches by 7-0 scores while improving to 4-0 overall for the first time since the truncated 2020 slate. The El Paso, Texas, native Pielet was the only Aggie to compete in both doubles and singles against both opponents, rattling off a 3-0 record with one doubles match unfinished. In singles, Mireles and Stoiana are tied for the top spot on the team with 10 wins apiece, while Goldsmith and Makarova continue to pace the squad with a 10-3 doubles record.
UP NEXT
No. 13 Texas A&M women’s tennis continues its 10-match homestand on Thursday, Jan. 27 for the team’s final doubleheader before ITA Kickoff Weekend. First serve at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center is set for noon (CT) against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi followed by a 4:30 p.m. start against Prairie View A&M.
POSTMATCH QUOTES
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Weaver
On improving to 4-0 without surrendering a point in 2022…
“The Aggies are off to a great start, and we really look sharp out there. These matches that we’re playing, there are some really decisive score lines out there. One of the challenges for the team is to continue bringing it every single point, and I think we’ve done a great job of that. Obviously, we have a ton of really good tennis players out there at every position. We’re in a great spot to continue striving for more and more. There is no limit to how well this team can perform if we continue doing the right things, because there is a ton of talent to be excited about.”
On Gianna Pielet’s performance Saturday…
“I think Gianna [Pielet] took it up a level today from where she was after the matches last weekend. After she got past her nerves in the early matches last week, I felt like she was able to let loose a little bit more and really shine today. She is really thriving in the team environment. She brings a ton of energy out there 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 got all of my nerves out in the first match today. It is really helpful to have the support of your teammates. When you look to your side, you see everybody lined up, and it’s just a great atmosphere. I feel like we all did our part today, and we were successful because of that.”
On the team’s dominance early in the season…
“I’m not surprised, because we have amazing talent. Our freshmen are solid, our seniors are solid, 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 really excited to continue working hard with this awesome group of girls.”
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
#13 Texas A&M 7, Houston 0
George P. Mitchell Tennis Center – Bryan-College Station, Texas
SINGLES
1. Carson Branstine (TAMU) def. 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) def. Blanca Cortijo Parreno (HOU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Gianna Pielet (TAMU) def. Sophie Gerits (HOU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Jeanette Mireles (TAMU) def. Gabriella Giraldo (HOU) 6-0, 6-2
DOUBLES
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) vs. Sophie Gerits / Gabriella Giraldo (HOU) 5-1, unfinished
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (4,3,1*,5,6,2)
#13 Texas A&M 7, Texas State 0
George P. Mitchell Tennis Center – Bryan-College Station, Texas
SINGLES
1. Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. Hana Kvapilova (TXST) 6-1, 6-1
2. Gianna Pielet (TAMU) def. Kate Malazonia (TXST) 6-0, 6-1
3. Jeanette Mireles (TAMU) def. Mae McCutcheon (TXST) 6-0, 6-1
4. Ellie Pittman (TAMU) def. Sofia Fortuno (TXST) 6-3, 6-2
5. Renee McBryde (TAMU) def. Maria Lora (TXST) 6-0, 6-1
6. Isa Di Laura (TAMU) def. Jadeh Chan (TXST) 6-0, 6-1
DOUBLES
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
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (2,5,1*,3,6,4)
POSTMATCH NOTES
- Texas A&M climbs to 4-0 overall to start the season and has outscored its opponents by a 28-0 margin for the first time in program history.
- Both Houston and Texas State fall to 0-1 at the start of their dual match campaigns.
- A&M improves to 26-8 against Houston, and a dominant 20-0 in the all-time series with Texas State.
- Gianna Pielet went 3-0 on Saturday, split between two singles wins and a doubles victory.
- Head Coach Mark Weaver climbs to 114-55 in his career as Texas A&M’s head coach, which began in the 2015-16 season.