First serve . . .
• The No. 25-ranked Washburn Ichabod men's tennis returns to the court wrapping up the regular season with Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday and Southwest Baptist on Sunday.
• The Ichabods are 13-4 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA and have won their last four matches.
• The top four teams in the final standings will play in the MIAA Tournament starting April 29.
• The Lopers are 15-2 this season and 2-2 in the MIAA and ranked No. 21 in the ITA National Poll and No. 3 in the NCAA Central Regional Rankings.
• Washburn leads the all-time series with the Lopers 13-7, but the Ichabods have lost the last three meetings including a 2-0 forfeit loss in the MIAA tournament on April 27, 2014.
• Washburn's last win over the Lopers came on April 21, 2013 in a 5-2 win the MIAA tournament.
• SBU is ranked No. 31 in the ITA National Poll and ranked second in the NCAA Central Regional Poll.
• The Bearcats lead the all-time series 23-12 and have won the last four meetings.
• The top four teams in the final NCAA Central Regional Rankings will make the NCAA Tournament starting May 7.
Drop shots . . .
• The Ichabod doubles team of
Blake Hunter and
Alejandro Valarezo Plaza are ranked No. 16 in the nation and No. 1 in the regional rankings … they are 24-5 overall this season and 14-3 in dual matches … the 24 doubles wins are tied for third on the single-season doubles win chart … the 24 doubles wins are the most by any doubles team since Jarrod Eyler and Chad Krug finished 24-4 during the 1997-98 season … the Ichabod single season record for wins is 32 held by Santiago Giraldo and Jesse Sherer set in 1996-97 season after going 32-2.
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Alejandro Valarezo Plaza is 19-5 overall in singles and ranked No. 9 in the latest ITA Regional Rankings.
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Matt Barlow is ranked No. 11 in the singles regional rankings and has a 19-7 singles record.
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Blake Hunter is ranked No. 12 in singles in the region going 21-6 this season …the 21 singles wins are tied or seventh on the single season cahrt and the most by an Ichabod since Ryan Ward recorded 24 during the 2009-10 season.
• Hunter leads the Ichabods with 21 singles wins and Barlow and Valarezo Plaza each have 19.
• The Ichabod single season wins record is 24 shared by Ryan Ward (2010) and Santiago Giraldo (1997).
• The doubles team of Barlow and
Zach Hampton are ranked 10th in the latest regional doubles rankings earning a 17-6 record.
• Statistically speaking, the Ichabods are a combined 99-59 (.627) in singles play and they are 58-27 (.682) in doubles action.
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Blake Hunter was named the MIAA Tennis Player of the Week on Feb. 15 and on March 28.
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Alejandro Valarezo Plaza was named MIAA Tennis Player of the Week on March 21 and on April 18.
Coaching . . .
Former Ichabod tennis player
Lance Lysaught is in his second season as the Ichabod head coach. He is 26-36 as a collegiate head coach in his fourth season and 17-15 at Washburn.
Up next . . .
The Ichabods need to finish in the top four in the final MIAA standings to qualify for the MIAA Tournament. Check wusports.com for updates after the final brackets are announced.
