First Serve … 

• The No. 37 Washburn men's tennis team (12-5, 2-2 MIAA) is set for one final road test of the regular season this weekend with a pair of matches against nationally ranked opponents, No. 20 Midwestern State and No. 45 Southeastern Oklahoma State. 
• The Ichabods will face No. 20 Midwestern State (15-3, 2-0 LSC) on Friday, April 19. The match in Wichita Falls, Texas is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
• The following day (Saturday, April 20) will be the regular season finale at regional opponent No. 45 Southeastern Oklahoma State (7-4, 2-2 GAC) beginning at 1 p.m. in Durant, Okla.

Last Time Out …

• The Ichabods went 2-1 last week as they closed out the conference regular season schedule.
• Washburn recorded its fifth shutout victory of the season on April 12 with a 7-0 sweep against Lindenwood (3-11, 0-3 MIAA).
• The duo of Alejandro Valarezo Plaza and Paul Haase got things started at the top of the order in doubles with a quick 6-2 victory. 
• Chase Brill and Bradley Eidenmueller picked up a 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles and Marc Roura Casi and Raul-Alin Dicu completed the clean sweep with a 7-6 (7-5) triumph on court three.
• The Ichabods carried their momentum into singles action and won all six matches. 
• Haase, Dicu, Eidenmueller, Roura Casi, Brill, and Luke Howard all added to their individual win totals.
• On April 13, The Washburn men's tennis team closed out the MIAA regular season with a 6-1 loss to No. 13 Southwest Baptist.
• The fourth-ranked duo of Valarezo Plaza and Haase took down the 12th-ranked team of Adham Gaber and Raul Caballero at No. 1 doubles, 6-3. 
• The Bearcats, however, won the No. 2 and 3 matches to take the doubles point.
• Southwest Baptist carried a powerful lineup into singles action with four of its players ranked nationally and won five of the six matches played. 
• Brill won his match at the No. 6 slot, 6-2, 6-3. 
• Washburn wrapped up their busy weekend on April 14 at a neutral site non-conference match against No. 28 Ouachita Baptist, where the Ichabods took down the Tigers, 4-1.
• The Ichabods claimed the doubles point with victories at the No. 1 and 3 matches. Valarezo Plaza / Haase and Brill / Eidenmueller won both of their matches, 6-3. The No. 3 doubles match went unfinished after Washburn clinched the doubles point.
• In singles action, Valarezo Plaza got things started at the top of the lineup with a 6-4, 6-1 win. 
• The Tigers won the No. 2 match to cut the Ichabods' lead, 2-1, but Washburn won the next two matches to clinch the dual match victory. 
• Haase won a hard fought three set battle, 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7-2). 
• Eidenmueller clinched the match for the third time in four matches with his 6-1, 6-3 victory at the No. 4 slot.
• The final two singles matches went unfinished after the Ichabods clinched.

Scouting the Opposition ...

Midwestern State Mustangs

• Midwestern State turned in an impressive 2017-18 campaign by going 22-6 (3-0 LSC). 
• The team won the Lone Star Conference Championship title and the South Central Regional match as well to advance to the National Tournament. 
• The Mustangs fell to the eventual national champions No. 2 Columbus State in the quarterfinal round.
• The team headed into the 2018-19 campaign ranked first in both the South Central Region and the Lone Star Conference.
• In the first edition of the regional rankings for the spring season, the Mustangs are third in the South Central Region.
• The team is currently ranked 20th with a record of 15-3 (2-0 LSC) after winning the past five matches, three of which were 7-0 sweeps.
• MSU also boasts the No. 2 ranked singles player in Division II, Angel Palacios, who is 15-2 at the No. 1 slot this season.
• The Mustangs lead the all-time series against the Ichabods, 6-2, and have claimed the last three matches.

Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm

• Southeastern Oklahoma State went 12-8 (3-0 GAC) last season and reached the NCAA Regional Tournament after winning the conference tournament.
• Heading into the new season, the Savage Storm were tabbed just behind Washburn in the Central Regional team rankings at No. 3.
• SEOSU is currently ranked No. 45 and holds a record of 7-4 (2-2 GAC).
• The Savage Storm's Juan Scoppetta is ranked fifth in men's singles.
• These two teams last met in 2016 and the Savage Storm hold a tight 3-2 lead in the all-time series.

Nationally Ranked Ichabods …

• The Ichabods are moved up eight spots to become ranked 37th in Division II.
• In addition to the team ranking, two players remain ranked in the ITA national ranking.
• The doubles team of Valarezo Plaza / Haase remain the fourth-ranked duo for the second consecutive week.
• Valarezo Plaza checks in as the 18th-ranked men's singles player.
• The national rankings will be released every Wednesday until May 1.

'Bods and Ends …

• Valarezo Plaza posted his 100th career doubles victory in the win over Ouachita Baptist. He now holds a record of 100-19.
• Eidenmueller clinched three of the last four matches for the Ichabods.
• He has also won seven of his last eight singles matches. 
• Washburn is 6-2 this season when playing on the road.
• The Ichabods put together a season best five match winning streak.
• Washburn is 2-1 when facing nationally ranked opponents.

Coach Lance Lysaught …

• is in his fifth season as the head coach of the men's and women's Washburn tennis teams.
• has coached the Washburn men to a 60-33 overall record and is 11-13 in MIAA matches.
• led the Ichabods to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal round in 2018, the first time the program had advanced beyond the national round of 16.
• was tabbed to start up the men's and women's tennis programs at Ottawa University in 2012 where he was the head coach for two seasons.
• is a former Washburn student-athlete who played tennis for the Ichabods from 1987-91.
• was a two-time District 10 singles champion and an NAIA national qualifier in both singles and doubles over his tenure as a player.

By the numbers after four seasons coaching both Washburn men and women

7: All-American awards

5: ITA Central Region Championship titles

1: ITA Women's singles National Champion

1: MIAA Most Valuable Player

33: All-MIAA selections

3: NCAA National Tournament appearances

51: MIAA Academic Honor Roll selections