First Serve … 

• The eighth-ranked Washburn women's tennis team (22-3) will take their home court and make their 16th NCAA regional appearance on Tuesday as the two-seed in the Central Region Tournament to face the six-seed and 24th-ranked Northwest Missouri State (18-6).
• The match is slated to begin at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14 at the Washburn Tennis Complex. Live stats will be available here.
• The winner of the match will advance to the NCAA National Tournament in Altamonte Springs, Fla. (May 22-25).
• Washburn defeated Northwest Missouri, 4-3, earlier this season.

Last Time Out …

• Washburn advanced to the MIAA Tournament semifinal round for the second-straight year, but couldn't reach the championship match as the Ichabods fell to No. 27 Southwest Baptist.
• The Ichabods started the tournament off on a strong note, shutting out Missouri Western (11-13) by the score of 4-0 in the quarterfinal round.
• Washburn took the doubles point with a pair of 6-1 victories. 
• Jacqueline Engelbrecht and Svea Crohn got things rolling at No. 2 doubles and Maria Soler Valverde and Kinsey Fields were close behind with their win on court three. 
• The No. 1 doubles match went unfinished once the Ichabods clinched, but Alexis Czapinski and Logan Morrissey were leading 4-3.
• The Ichabods continued to dominate in singles action and hardly surrendered a game. 
• Crohn posted the first singles win as she blanked her opponent at the No. 5 slot, 6-0, 6-0. 
• Soler Valverde followed suit on the third court and also swept her opponent, 6-0, 6-0. 
• Engelbrecht sealed the team victory with her 6-3, 6-0 decision at No. 2 singles. 
• The remaining three matches were in the second set when Washburn clinched and the singles matches at Nos. 1, 4, and 6 were unfinished, but all of those Ichabods had won their first set.
• The following day, Washburn was unable to hold its lead in the semifinal match and fell to the four-seed and 27th-ranked Southwest Baptist (13-6), 4-2.
• The Ichabods got on the board first after claiming the doubles point. 
• The top-doubles team in the nation, Czapinski / Morrissey, got things started with a 6-3 victory over sixth-ranked Jill Van Den Dungen/Dona Abohabaga at No. 1 doubles. 
• Southwest Baptist won at court three, 7-5, forcing the doubles point to be decided in the No. 2 doubles match. 
• It was a battle by both teams, but Engelbrecht and Crohn came out on top, 7-5, to clinch the early lead for Washburn.
• The Bearcats retaliated in singles action, winning the first two matches and overtaking the lead. 
• Morrissey put up the equalizing point with a 6-4, 6-3 triumph at the No. 4 position to tie up the match 2-2. 
• Southwest Baptist went ahead again with a win on court six and clinched the dual with a three set victory at No. 2 singles.

Scouting the Opposition …
Northwest Missouri Bearcats

• Northwest Missouri defeated the third seed Augustana on Monday, May 13, to advance to the Central Region final.
• The Bearcats are now 18-6 overall this season.
• The Ichabods defeated the Bearcats 4-3 earlier this season at Maryville, Mo.
• NWMSU is making its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance.
• The last Bearcat team to reach the Central Regional tournament was in 2016 when NWMSU fell to Augustana in the opening round.
• Head coach Mark Rosewell is in his 35th season and has led 38 teams (20 men, 18 women) to the NCAA postseason.
• The Bearcats have two players ranked nationally in singles as well as a top-15 doubles team.
• Irene Recueno is ranked 17th in Division II while Julia Aliseda checks in at No. 57.
• Tania Teruel and Marta Ferrando hold down the No. 15 doubles ranking.
• Northwest Missouri reached the semifinal round of the MIAA Tournament before falling to the eventual tournament champion, Central Oklahoma.

Ichabods in the Rankings …

• Washburn moved down one place and are now ranked eighth in Division II (May 1).
• Three Ichabods remain ranked in the top-50 in singles.
• Czapinski is the fourth-ranked singles player in the nation.
• Engelbrecht checks in at No. 27.
• Soler Valverde rounds out Washburn in singles and is No. 49 on the list.
• In doubles, Czapinski and Morrissey remain the No. 1 doubles team in Division II for the second-straight week.
• The Ichabods earned the two-seed in the region and the right to host the NCAA Central Region II tournament.
• Washburn was picked fourth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

'Bods and Ends …

• Washburn is making its 16th NCAA regional appearance. The Ichabods are 5-14 all-time in the regional tournament.
• The Ichabods last reached the NCAA Central Region Tournament in 2017 and fell in the opening round to Central Oklahoma.
• The Washburn women have hosted a regional three times prior to this week. The Ichabods hold a winning record of 4-2 when playing in the regional tournament on their home court.
• The Ichabods earned eight MIAA postseason awards on April 25, the most awards captured by a Washburn women's tennis team since 2012.
• Lysaught received the MIAA Women's Head Coach of the Year award for the second time in three seasons.
• Lysaught, in his fifth season leading the Washburn tennis programs, last earned the prestigious coaching honors in 2017.
• Czapinski was named to three different MIAA awards: co-Player of the Year, and a first-team selection at No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles.
• Washburn has now won seven MIAA Player of the Year awards.
• Czapinski and Morrissey are repeat selections at No. 1 doubles first-team with a perfect record in conference play, claiming the honors last year as well. 
• Soler Valverde and Crohn made their career debuts on the first-team list. Soler Valverde earned all-conference honors at No. 4 singles with a 16-0 record while Crohn was selected at No. 5 singles, going 16-5.
• Crohn and doubles partner Engelbrecht were named to the second-team at No. 2 doubles with a record of 15-6.
• Madison Lysaught received All-MIAA honorable mention accolades at No. 6 singles, going 11-7 this spring. It is the first time in her career being named on an all-conference team.
• The Ichabods recorded their eighth shut out victory of the season after defeating Missouri Western, 4-0.
• Czapinski is one singles win away from recording her 50th career victory.
• In the second half of the Central Region bracket, No. 4 seed Southern Arkansas and No. 1 seed Central Oklahoma will compete on Tuesday, May 14, for a place at the NCAA National Championships next week.

Coach Lance Lysaught …

• is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Washburn men's and women's tennis teams.
• has coached the Washburn women to a 59-47 overall record and is 23-22 in MIAA matches.
• led the Ichabod men to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal round in 2018, the first time the program had ever 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