COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Texas A&M’s Cristina Stancu has been named the Southeastern Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Week, the league office announced today.
The junior from Constanta, Romania, received the honor after leading then-13th-ranked Texas A&M to a 2-1 record at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship last weekend in Charlottesville, Va., including back-to-back victories over No. 11 Texas and No. 12 Virginia.
Stancu went 2-1 at No. 1 doubles with freshman partner Stefania Hristov, with both wins coming against Top 10 opponents. In the first round of the prestigious tournament, the Aggie duo notched A&M’s only doubles win against eventual ITA National Indoor champion North Carolina, winning three consecutive games to close out an 8-5 victory over eighth-ranked Ashley Dai and Whitney Kay.
Stancu and Hristov also posted an 8-5 victory over 10th-ranked Stephanie Nauta and Li Xi of Virginia, helping A&M capture the crucial doubles point en route to the 4-1 victory against the host Cavaliers.
Stancu went 2-0 at No. 2 singles with straight-set wins against ranked opponents. She clinched A&M’s winning point in the Aggies’ 4-2 victory over the Longhorns, defeating 79th-ranked Noel Scott, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Stancu closed out the three-day tournament with 6-3, 6-1 win against Virginia’s 44th-ranked XI.
Stancu’s match against UNC’s No. 21 Whitney Key on the opening day went unfinished with Stancu leading the second set, 5-4, when play was stopped.
Stancu improved to 4-0 in dual matches, all at No. 2 singles, and 13-6 overall. She and Hristov are 4-1 at No. 1 doubles and 13-4 overall.
The Aggies (4-1), who moved up to No. 11 in the ITA national team rankings released on Tuesday, return to action Saturday at 11 a.m. (CT), when they take on 13th-ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor. The match will be the Aggies’ fourth consecutive match against a Top 15 team.
