Competing on the junior level, they placed fifth at the Ice Challenge and won silver at the Pavel Roman Memorial.

They won bronze in late August at the JGP in Courchevel, France, but finished ninth the following month in Tallinn, Estonia.

They finished fourth, outscored for the bronze medal by Elliana Pogrebinsky / Alex Benoit, resulting in the loss of their provisional assignment to Zagreb, Croatia.

In January 2016, they won the bronze medal at the Russian Junior Championships, behind Alla Loboda / Pavel Drozd and Betina Popova / Yuri Vlasenko.

In February, Shpilevaya/Smirnov won gold at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Hamar, Norway, having placed first in both segments.

In the off-season, Shpilevaya was hospitalized during the coronavirus pandemic, remarking afterward "I have never encountered such a illness (and God forbid, I won't in the future).

"[9] In September 2020, it was announced that the pair had split to Shpilevaya's injury and being unable to practice.