COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The defending national champion Aggie women's tennis team punched their ticket to the NCAA quarterfinals in Waco after taking down UCLA 4-2 at the Mitchell Tennis Center, Friday afternoon.
“I thought we played well today,” head coach Mark Weaver said. “I give UCLA a lot of credit. I knew it was going to be a tough match. It was actually a little tougher perhaps than I had imagined, they played very well today and they definitely could have beaten us today.I'm really proud of the girls, was a really gritty performance by us. I think the doubles point really went a long ways there and I was very pleased with the group.”
After taking the doubles points, senior Mary Stoiana made quick work winning her final match at the Mitchell Tennis Center in straight sets, going a perfect 47-0 in singles play at home her entire collegiate career.
“Remarkable and you know Mary just brings it every single day in the practices,” Weaver said. “There hasn't been one day where she just doesn't bring it all the time, and that's the secret to her consistency.”
“Yeah, it feels so great,” Stoiana said. “I couldn't have expected or imagined a better way for my collegiate career to go at home. It's very bittersweet that this is the last time and very excited for the next portion of my tennis career in the pros, so yeah, hopefully this can give me some good momentum going into that.”
Sophomore Lucciana Perez won the deciding point for the Aggies after battling back and winning her first set 7-6 and dominating the second set 6-1.
“Yeah, the first set was really tough,” Perez said. “One point here, one point there, and I think a couple points I got to my way and yeah I think that was a key.”
Now the Maroon & White will make the drive up Highway 6 to Waco for their NCAA championship quarterfinal matchup.
“We're super confident,” Stoiana said. “Also, it's right down the road, similar conditions. We know we'll have a lot of fans out to support us and like probably all of us have played on those Waco courts already, so that's also going to play a factor feeling pretty comfortable.”
The Aggies will continue their quest to defend their title Thursday at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco. They'll play the winner of 7th seeded Virginia and 10th seeded Tennessee.
