Kats fall to No. 2 Aggies

Sunday, February 2

College Station

4:00 PM

Texas A&M

Photo by: Allyson Collins

Kats fall to No. 2 Aggies

2/2/2025 8:15:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

COLLEGE STATION – Two Bearkats went three sets with opponents ranked among the top 102 players in the national intercollegiate singles rankings to highlight a strong performance by the Sam Houston women's tennis team in a duel with defending NCAA national champion Texas A&M Sunday afternoon at the Mitchell Tennis Center.

A&M's No. 15 ranked Nicole Khirin was forced to three sets in a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over the Bearkats' Nayuma Subba in the No. 1 singles duel. Meanwhile, Adi Venkatakrishnan took No. 102 ranked Daria Smetannikov to a third set in a 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 match at the No. 4 slot.

The defending national champion Aggies are currently ranked second nationally. Texas A&M extended their 2025 spring record to 5-0, while Sam Houston stands 3-2 after two weeks of spring action.

"Today was a great opportunity for our young team to get to test ourselves against A&M," head coach Rob Hubbard said. "I was so proud of the way we came out and competed with such an outstanding team. We learned a lot about ourselves today that will help us improve for the schedule ahead of us."

In the other four singles matches Mia Kupres defeated Christine Jevicky 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2, Lucciana Perez topped Jacqueline Schnabel 6-1, 6-3 in the No. 3 match, Lexington Reed topped Sara Sadadinovic 6-0, 6-2 at No. 4 and Lizanne Boyer won over Ella Fitcher 6-3, 6-0 at No. 6.

The Aggies opened the day by taking the doubles point with wins at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots.

"You learn a lot about yourself when you compete against one of the top teams in the country," Hubbard said. "I was extremely impressed with the way we came out strong in singles. We played with discipline and fought hard."

Sam Houston returns home to Huntsville for its next match as the Bearkats play host to UTSA on Friday, February 7.

#2 Texas A&M 7, Sam Houston 0
Singles competition
1. #15 Nicole Khirin (TAMU) def. Nayuma Subba (SHSU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
2. Mia Kupres (TAMU) def. Christine Jevicky (SHSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Lucciana Perez (TAMU) def. Jacqueline Schnabel (SHSU) 6-1, 6-3
4. #102 Daria Smetannikov (TAMU) def. Adi Venkatakrishnan (SHSU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
5. Lexington Reed (TAMU) def. Sara Sadadinovic (SHSU) 6-0, 6-2
6. Lizanne Boyer (TAMU) def. Ella Fitcher (SHSU) 6-3, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Mia Kupres/Daria Smetannikov (TAMU) def. Nayuma Subba/Jacqueline Schnabel (SHSU) 6-0
2. Nicole Khirin/Jeanette Mireles (TAMU) def. Christine Jevicky/Adi Venkatakrishnan (SHSU) 6-2
3. Lexington Reed/Lizanne Boyer (TAMU) vs. Sara Sadadinovic/Ella Fitcher (SHSU) 5-2, unfinished Match

Notes: Sam Houston 3-2 Texas A&M 5-0; National ranking #2
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (6,5,3,2,1,4)