The UCLA women’s tennis team concluded its NCAA Championship run with a 4-2 loss to Texas A&M at the Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas. The Bruins ended their season with an 18-9 record.
Texas A&M, the defending NCAA champions and second seed, faced strong competition from UCLA. The Bruins secured singles victories through Bianca Fernandez and Kimmi Hance. However, Texas A&M claimed the doubles point and later added singles wins from Mary Stoiana, Mia Kupres, and Lucciana Perez.
In doubles play, Perez teamed up with Nicole Khirin to defeat Ahmani Guichard and Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer 6-3 on Court 3. UCLA responded on Court 2 as Olivia Center and Kate Fakih overcame Lexington Reed and Daria Smetannikov for their 31st doubles win of the season. The deciding point in doubles was won by Kupres and Stoiana against Hance and Elise Wagle with a score of 6-3.
During singles matches, UCLA showed resilience by claiming three first sets. On Court 1, Stoiana defeated Lutkemeyer 6-0, 6-2 to give Texas A&M a lead of 2-0. Fernandez reduced the deficit by winning against Reed on Court 6 with scores of 6-3, 6-3.
Kupres broke Wagle’s six-match winning streak on Court 3 with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-4. Hance delivered a notable performance on Court 2 by defeating Khirin in straight sets, matching her career-best victory over another top-ranked player earlier in the season.
The decisive match was played by Perez who clinched victory for Texas A&M against Fakih on Court 4 with scores of 7-6(3), 6-1.
The match results were as follows:
Singles competition:
1. Mary Stoiana (TAMU) def. Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer (UCLA) – Score: 6-0, 6-2
2. Kimmi Hance (UCLA) def. Nicole Khirin (TAMU) – Score: 6-2, 7-5
3. Mia Kupres (TAMU) def. Elise Wagle (UCLA) – Score: 6-1, 6-4
4. Lucciana Perez (TAMU) def. Kate Fakih (UCLA) – Score:7-6(3), 6-1
5. Daria Smetannikov (TAMU) vs Ahmani Guichard (UCLA) – Unfinished
6. Bianca Fernandez (UCLA) def Lexington Reed (TAMU) – Score: 6–3
Doubles competition:
1.Mia Kupres/Mary Stoiana(TAMU )def.Kimmi Hance/Elise Wagle(UCLA)-Score: 63
2.Olivia Center/Kate Fakih(UCLA )def.Lexington Reed/Daria Smetannikov(TAM U)-Score :64
3.Nicole Khirin/Lucciana Perez(TA MU )def.Ahmani Guichard/Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer(UCL A)-Score :63
Texas A&M advanced further into the NCAA Championships while UCLA concluded its competitive season ranked #17 nationally.
