Alabama
Texas A&M University
Alabama Women’s Tennis Upsets No. 32 Texas A&M, 4-3, in Regular-Season Finale
4/15/2018 6:12:00 PM | Women's Tennis
The Crimson Tide defeats its first ranked opponent of the season on Senior Day
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's tennis team closed out the regular season with a bang by knocking off No. 32 Texas A&M, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Alabama Tennis Stadium on Senior Day.
After dropping the doubles point, the Crimson Tide used a strong singles performance to knot the contest at three apiece. In the deciding match, sophomore Alba Cortina-Pou recovered from a 1-6 first-set deficit and captured the final two sets to clinch the match and give the Tide its second conference win of the season.
In addition, the Crimson Tide picked up its first victory over a ranked opponent since April 7, 2017, and defeated the Aggies for the fifth time in program history.
"We did a great job today," head coach Jenny Mainz said. "We lost another tough doubles point. We had our opportunities, but just couldn't quite get it done. The thing that has amazed me all season is that we come out strong in singles, just like we did today. Texas A&M is a very good team, well coached and they compete well. We knew this was going to be a tough match, but we didn't go away. That's the biggest thing. We had staying power. We believed it, we trusted it, and as the match went on, we got better."
"In some cases, we found our way into the matches," Mainz continued. "In Alba's match, she lost, 6-1, but she just kept competing and trusted herself. It's sure nice to come out on this end of it. I certainly commend the girls. It has been in their hearts all season. For them to come out on Senior Day, and the last match of the regular season at home, and to play with that kind of confidence really is a testament to their hard work all year and their belief in each other. I am really proud of them."
In doubles, Texas A&M's 65th-ranked pair defeated junior Andie Daniell and sophomore Ann Selim, 6-2, at court one, but the Tide tandem of senior Smith Hinton and Cortina-Pou answered back and won at No. 2, 7-5. For the doubles point, the neck-and-neck match was tied at 5-5 until the Aggies won back-to-back sets for the 7-5 victory.
In singles, A&M extended its lead to 2-0 after No. 93 Macarena Olivares topped Hinton, 6-1, 6-3, but the Aggies' lead didn't last long as Alabama knotted the score at 2-2 after Daniell and freshman Kylie Moulin both defeated their second consecutive SEC opponent. Daniell took care of Domenica Gonzalez 7-6(2), 6-1, at No. 1, while Moulin handled Dorthea Faa-Hviding, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 6.
TAMU then regained the lead, winning at No. 3, 6-2, 6-4, but the Tide stormed back into the match as Selim powered her way from a 1-5 deficit in the second set to win, 7-5, 7-5, at No. 4.
With the regular-season match on the line, A&M's Tatiana Makarova took set one, 6-1, but Cortina-Pou rallied back and won set two, 7-5. In the intense final set, Cortina-Pou was down, 3-5, but surged her way to a 7-5 victory to clinch the Tide's first conference win at home of the season.
The Crimson Tide ends the regular season with a 15-14 overall record, and a 2-11 mark in league play.
Up next, No. 13 seed Alabama will compete in the first round of the 2018 SEC Women's Tennis Championships on April 18 in Knoxville, Tenn. against No. 12 seed Tennessee at 1 p.m. CT.
Alabama Match Results:
Alabama 4, #32 Texas A&M 3
Doubles
1. #65 Paalma/Gonzalez (TAMU) Selim/Daniell (UA) 6-2
2. Hinton/Cortina-Pou (UA) def. Olivares/Makarova (TAMU) 7-5
3. McQuaid/Ivascu (TAMU) def. Fabian/Pelletier (UA) 7-5
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles
1. #104 Andie Daniell (UA) def. Domenica Gonzalez (TAMU) 7-6(2), 6-1
2. #93 Macarena Olivares (TAM) def. Smith Hinton (UA) 6-1, 6-3
3. Eva Paalma (TAMU) def. Jacqueline Pelletier (UA) 6-2, 6-4
4. Ann Selim (UA) def. Riley McQuaid (TAMU) 7-5, 7-5
5. Alba Cortina-Pou (UA) def. Tatiana Makarova (TAMU)1-6, 7-5, 7-5
6. Kylie Moulin (UA) def. Dorthea Faa-Hviding (TAMU) 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 6, 1, 3, 4, 5
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaWTN on Twitter and Facebook and AlabamaWTN on Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
