Story by Nick Whitley, Texas A&M Athletics Communications
COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 6 Texas A&M women’s tennis completed the most dominant regular season in program history Sunday morning at the Green Tennis Center, as the Aggies defeated the Missouri Tigers by a 4-0 margin. The Maroon & White went undefeated in conference play for the first time in school annals and recorded the most victories in a single season by any Aggie team.
Through the conclusion of the regular season, the Aggies amassed the most victories in program history with a 27-1 overall record. A&M ran the table in Southeastern Conference play, defeating every opponent in conference play for the first time since the Maroon & White began playing dual matches in the 1980 season. The Aggies have locked up the 2022 Southeastern Conference regular season championship and will look to defend their outright league title as the top seed during the SEC Women’s Tennis Championships beginning on Friday, April 22. In defeat, Missouri falls to 7-19 overall with a 2-11 finish in the SEC regular season.
Prior to the 2022 campaign, the winningest season in school history belonged to the 2013 National Runner Up squad that published a 26-4 overall record with a 12-1 mark in SEC play. Under the direction of then-head coach Howard Joffe and standout All-American Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar, the Aggies published a dominant 20-2 regular season effort and followed it up with the greatest postseason run in school history, ultimately falling to Stanford by a 4-3 margin in the National Championship match. The 2013 squad also held the previous school record for longest win streak at 13 matches, which has been shattered by A&M’s current 17-match run.
The Maroon & White started the day off in doubles play, where the Aggies cruised at the top two courts for a pair of victories. A&M secured the doubles point for the seventh consecutive match and 26th time this year. Carson Branstine and Mary Stoiana, the nation’s 44th-ranked doubles tandem, took down Emelie Schwarte and Elys Ventura in a clean 6-0 sweep. A&M locked in the early edge on court one, where No. 2 Jayci Goldsmith and Tatiana Makarova defeated Bronte Murgett and Gabriela Martinez. Renee McBryde and Gianna Pielet held a commanding 4-1 lead over Romary Cardenas and Ellie Wright, but the match went unfinished after the doubles point was secured.
In the interest of avoiding impending inclement weather, the totality of Sunday’s match was played indoors. Missouri’s indoor facility featured four courts, with the top four singles matches being played first and the bottom two matchups left waiting for the next available slot. A&M was victorious in all four first sets and swept the top three singles matchups to secure their final victory of the regular season. No. 18 Makarova blitzed past Wright in a 6-1, 6-0 demolition to lift the Aggie lead to 2-0. Within the next half hour, No. 16 Branstine completed a hard-fought 6-1, 7-5 win over Murgett, while No. 64 Stoiana clinched the sweep in a 6-0, 6-4 result over Ventura.
On an individual basis, Makarova sits one win shy of the century mark in singles victories, having amassed a 99-34 overall record in her storied career. In doubles, Makarova has recorded 105 career victories and ranks as the third-winningest player in school history. Stoiana extended her clinch win lead following her ninth deciding point on Sunday, making her personally responsible for the decisive fourth point in a third of all Aggie wins this year. Stoiana owns the best singles record on the roster this year, currently boasting a 29-3 record with an active 15-match win streak.
UP NEXT
No. 6 Texas A&M awaits the start of the Southeastern Conference Women’s Tennis Championships, as the regular season champion and top-seeded Aggies begin play in the tournament quarterfinals. A&M’s first match at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Florida, is scheduled for Friday, April 22, with opponent and first serve information to be announced when it becomes available.
POSTMATCH QUOTES
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Weaver
On making history as the winningest team at A&M…
“It has just been an amazing regular season. We went undefeated in the SEC, undefeated at home, undefeated in true road matches, and took our only loss during the ITA Indoors. To finish the regular season with the most wins in program history, those are the sorts of things that you dream of as a head coach. I’m scared to wake up and realize that it was all a dream, but this thing really did happen. We have such an awesome group of tennis players. We need to enjoy this moment and then get ready to get back to work next week. This group has gotten better and better as the season has gone along, and that’s all you can really ask for as a coach.”
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
#6 Texas A&M 4, Missouri 0
Green Tennis Center – Columbia, Missouri
SINGLES
1. #16 Carson Branstine (TAMU) vs. Bronte Murgett (MIZ) 6-1, 7-5
2. #18 Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) vs. Ellie Wright (MIZ) 6-1, 6-0
3. #64 Mary Stoiana (TAMU) vs. Elys Ventura (MIZ) 6-0, 6-4
4. Jayci Goldsmith (TAMU) vs. Emelie Schwarte (MIZ) 6-4, 5-4, unfinished
5. Gianna Pielet (TAMU) vs. Gabriela Martinez (MIZ) 0-1, unfinished
6. Katya Townsend (TAMU) vs. Romary Cardenas (MIZ) 0-0, unfinished
DOUBLES
1. #2 Jayci Goldsmith / Tatiana Makarova (TAMU) def. Bronte Murgett / Gabriela Martinez (MIZ) 6-1
2. #48 Carson Branstine / Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. Emelie Schwarte / Elys Ventura (MIZ) 6-0
3. Renee McBryde / Gianna Pielet (TAMU) vs. Romary Cardenas / Ellie Wright (MIZ) 4-1, unfinished
Order of Finish: Doubles (2, 1); Singles (2,1,3*)
POSTMATCH NOTES
- Texas A&M set the single season win record on Sunday against Missouri, as the Aggies improved to 27-1 overall. The Aggies are ranked No. 6 according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and hold the No. 4 ranking according to the United States Tennis Association.
- A&M completed conference play undefeated for the first time in program history, irrespective of the Aggies conference affiliation. The Maroon & White published a 13-0 record in SEC play.
- Missouri falls to 7-19 overall and concludes SEC action with a 2-11 record.
- The Aggies extended their lead over the Tigers in the all-time series to 27-2.
- Head Coach Mark Weaver improves to 137-56 overall in his career in Aggieland, which began prior to the 2015-16 season.