TCU
#20 Texas A&M
TCU's Comeback Falls Short
2/28/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
FORT WORTH, Texas - Despite going down 3-1 in the match, the No. 22 TCU women's tennis team continued to battle up until the end but ultimately fell 4-3 to No. 20 Texas A&M on Tuesday night at the Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas.
In the team's second three-and-a-half-hour match in a row, the Horned Frogs (6-3) fell behind early as the dropped the doubles point to the Aggies (8-3) for only the second time this season. The No. 10 ranked duo of Donika Bashota and Olaya Garrido-Rivas paired up for the first time in three matches to down their fourth ranked opponent this season with a 6-1 win over No. 14 Rachel Pierson and Rutuja Bhosale. The Frogs fell behind on the other two doubles courts, as Texas A&M capitalized to take the early 1-0 lead.
Sofiko Kadzhaya put the first point on the board for TCU with a quick 6-2, 6-1 to mark the senior's second straight win in dual match action. Texas A&M grabbed the lead right back with straight-set wins on courts five and two, but the Frogs did not let that detour them as they continued to battle on the final three courts. No. 94 Seda Arantekin got her first win over a ranked opponent this season by downing No. 45 Pierson, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3, at the top position and then Garrido-Rivas followed mere moments later by battling back to take two tiebreakers in a row for a 0-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) come-from-behind victory on court three. The Frogs could not finish out the match, as Texas A&M took the final court in three sets to win the match.
Quotes from the Match
Head Coach Lee Taylor Walker
"The 4-3 losses are hard to take, but it is what builds maturity and toughness for what we will need in May. These are great matches for us. We didn't play that good today, but we had some individuals get back on track. Seda (Arantekin) got back to playing her game with conviction. Olaya (Garrido-Rivas) bounced back from Saturday's loss and had a huge win, and Sofiko (Kadzhaya) was dominant again. Also, Olaya and Donika (Bashota) beat a top-15 team at No. 1 doubles, so there are lots of good things that happened tonight. In order for us to beat a top-20 team, we need to play our strengths, with conviction and under pressure in all nine matches. I really feel we will get this at some point this season and when we do it is going to be scary."
Match Results
TCU vs Texas A&M
Feb 28, 2017 at College Station, TX
(George P Mitchell Tennis Center)
#20 Texas A&M 4, #22 TCU 3
Singles competition
1. #94 Seda Arantekin (TCU) def. #45 Rachel Pierson (A&M) 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-3
2. #75 Rutuja Bhosale (A&M) def. Donika Bashota (TCU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Olaya Garrido-Rivas (TCU) def. Macarena Olivares (A&M) 0-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5)
4. Saska Gavrilovska (A&M) def. Marie Norris (TCU) 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3
5. Domenica Gonzalez (A&M) def. Caroline Wegner (TCU) 6-4, 6-0
6. Sofiko Kadzhaya (TCU) def. Stefania Hristov (A&M) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. #10 Olaya Garrido-Rivas/Donika Bashota (TCU) def. #14 Rachel Pierson/Rutuja Bhosale (A&M) 6-1
2. Eva Paalma/Domenica Gonzalez (A&M) def. Seda Arantekin/Caroline Wegner (TCU) 6-2
3. Stefania Hristov/Macarena Olivares (A&M) def. Aleksandra Zenovka/Alexis Pereira (TCU) 6-3
Match Notes:
TCU 6-3; National ranking #22
Texas A&M 8-3; National ranking #20
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,5,2,1,3,4)
T-3:35 A-197
Up Next
TCU will finish up action on the road by traveling to Lubbock, Texas to face Texas Tech on Saturday, March 4 at Noon in a nonconference showdown.
Players Mentioned
