COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The #16 Pepperdine women's tennis team saw freshman Alexia Harmon pick up a win over a ranked opponent, yet the Waves lost to the defending NCAA champions #2 Texas A&M Aggies 6-1 in College Station, Texas on Sunday afternoon.
The Waves (3-6) lost a close doubles point to the Aggies (9-1) before the second-ranked team in the nation pulled away in singles play. Five of Pepperdine's six losses this year have come to teams ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association top 25 rankings.
Pepperdine got an early advantage in the doubles point thanks to Harmon and Anastasiia Grechkina winning 6-4 over Daria Smetannikov and Mia Kupres on court two.
The Waves went up a break early and had a double-break lead before the Aggies mounted a comeback down 5-1. Although Texas A&M won three straight games, Grechkina served out the match for Pepperdine in the final game for the duo's fourth win of the spring season. Unfortunately for Pepperdine, Texas A&M went on to win the doubles point with close finishes on the remaining courts.
In singles play, the defending national champions flexed their muscles by winning five first sets. The lone exception was Harmon on court five, who won her first set against #125 Daria Smetannikov 6-1 before winning her second set 6-4. Her win made the score 3-1 with the Waves needing to win in three sets on all remaining courts.
Texas A&M clinched the match on court two with #12 Nicole Khirin's straight-set win, however, the rest of the matches were played out, leading to the 6-1 final score.
The Waves will return to Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center for just their second home match of the season against California on Saturday, Feb. 22. First serve is scheduled for noon.
RESULTS
Singles
1. #3 Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. #16 Savannah Broadus (PEPP) 7-5, 6-0
2. #12 Nicole Khirin (TAMU) def. Anastasiia Grechkina (PEPP) 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6)
3. #101 Mia Kupres (TAMU) def. #80 Vivian Yang (PEPP) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
4. #41 Lucciana Perez (TAMU) def. Sebastianna Scilipoti (PEPP) 7-5, 4-6, (1-0)
5. Alexia Harmon (PEPP) def. #125 Daria Smetannikov (TAMU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Lexington Reed (TAMU) def. #108 Duru Soke (PEPP) 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 6,1,5,2*,3,4
Doubles
1. Mary Stoiana/Lucciana Perez (TAMU) def. #7 Savannah Broadus/Vivian Yang (PEPP) 6-4
2. Alexia Harmon/Anastasiia Grechkina (PEPP) def. Daria Smetannikov/Mia Kupres (TAMU) 6-4
3. Nicole Khirin/Lexington Reed (TAMU) def. Duru Soke/Sebastianna Scilipoti (PEPP) 7-5
Order of finish: 2,1,3*
