News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
WACO – Three Aggies represent the Texas A&M women’s tennis team in the NCAA Division I Singles and Doubles Championships running Tuesday to Sunday at Baylor’s Hurd Tennis Center.
No. 1 Mary Stoiana, No. 9 Nicole Khirin and Daria Smetannikov qualified in singles action for the Maroon & White.
All three are in action Tuesday. Smetannikov faces Ohio State’s No. 23 Luciana Perry and Stoiana takes on UCLA’s Kate Fakih at 10:30 a.m. Khirin battles Duke’s No. 38 Shavit Kimchi at 4:30 p.m.
Stoiana qualified for the individual championships for her third straight season after tallying five ranked wins at the ITA All-American Championships to advance to the consolation finals. Last season, Stoiana reached National Semifinals in singles and the National Quarterfinals in doubles, earning All-America honors in both.
Khirin qualified for the championships for her second-straight season with the Aggies. The Junior is 6-2 in her limited action this year and is on a five-match winning streak. Khirin punched her ticked to the Individual Championships after advancing to the ITA Sectional Semifinals, going 4-0 in the process.
Smetannikov earned her spot in the individual championships for the first time in her collegiate career. The junior is 13-4 this season and battled her way to the ITA Sectional playoff finals to clinch her spot in the tournament.