FIRST SERVE

• The No. 18 ranked Washburn women's tennis team returns home to host two matches at the Washburn Tennis Complex this weekend, beginning with a conference matchup against Missouri Western on Friday at 2 p.m. The squad will then host Southern Arkansas on Saturday at 1 p.m.
• Washburn holds the 28-2 edge over Missouri Western in the all-time series. The squads last played on April 26, 2019, when the Ichabods swept the Griffons, 4-0.
• Washburn and Southern Arkansas have only played once on April 13, 2019, when the Ichabods defeated the Muleriders, 5-2.

 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

• Missouri Western holds a 8-3 record (2-1 in MIAA play) this season after a 4-3 loss to Northwest Missouri on Tuesday. 
• The Griffons return five from last year's roster while welcoming in five newcomers.
• Missouri Western's No. 1 singles starter Ioanna Lathouri holds a 6-2 record this season and is ranked No. 33 in the latest ITA singles rankings.
• The Griffons are led by Olaya Garrido-Rivas in her second season as head coach.
• Missouri Western was picked to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
• Southern Arkansas sits at 5-10 this season after a 4-2 loss to Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday. They will play Emporia State on Friday prior to Saturday's match with the Ichabods.
• The Muleriders return six from last year's roster and welcome four newcomers.
• Southern Arkansas is coached by Greg Owen in his third season.

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Washburn's record sits at 10-1 (3-1 MIAA) after splitting last weekend in Oklahoma with a 6-1 loss to No. 5 Central Oklahoma and a 6-1 win over Northeastern State.
• Facing tough opposition in the Bronchos, the Ichabods only came out with one victory in each doubles and singles action. The No. 1 doubles duo of Marta Torres and Logan Morrissey took a 6-3 victory. Maria Soler Valverde then earned Washburn's lone point as she defeated her opponent by scores of 4-6, 6-4, 10-7 from the third spot in the singles lineup.
• Against the Riverhawks, the Ichabods bounced back to end the weekend on a good note. Winning the doubles point as No. 2 duo Kinsey Fields and Maja Jung took a 6-1 victory and No. 3 duo of Soler Valverde and Svea Crohn won their match by 7-6 (3-0) gave the Ichabods an early advantage.
• Then, Torres won the first singles point for Washburn as she defeated her opponent by 6-2, 6-1 at the top of the lineup. Soler Valverde won the next point with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at the third spot, before Jung clinched the Ichabods win with a 6-4, 6-4 victory from No. 5 spot.
• Crohn battled to take down her opponent at the second spot, ultimately winning by scores of 4-6, 6-4, 10-4. Cadence Lynn won the final point as she defeated her opponent by 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) victory at the bottom of the lineup.

 
CHECKING IN WITH THE BODS

• Maria Soler Valverde leads the Ichabods with a perfect 9-0 record playing mainly from the third spot in the lineup. 
• Freshman Maja Jung continues to make a stellar first impression as she has gone 10-1 in singles action to start the season. Jung is also 8-2 in doubles action with partner Kinsey Fields, playing from the No. 2 spot.
• Freshman Marta Torres is also off to a great start with a 8-3 record. Torres has recently been moved up to the No. 1 spot, where she has a 5-1 record. She was also moved up to No. 1 doubles with partner Logan Morrissey where they have gone 4-1. Torres is 7-4 overall in doubles action.
• Morrissey has a 8-2 record in doubles action at the top of the lineup, as she has gone 4-1 with Torres and 4-1 record with Svea Crohn.

 
ICHABODS IN THE RANKINGS

• The Ichabods are ranked No. 18 in the latest updated ITA rankings, last updated on April 8, 2021. The team is ranked second in the central regional rankings, released on March 23.
• Washburn was picked third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, with two first-place votes and 46 points total, released on February 5, 2021.
• The doubles team of Logan Morrissey/Svea Crohn were ranked second in the Central Region according to its last update on April 15, 2020.
• Three Ichabods were also ranked in the top-15 of singles in the Central Region. Maria Soler Valverde checked in at seventh while Morrissey landed in ninth. Crohn rounded out the top-15.

 
HEAD COACH KIRBY RONNING

• Kirby Ronning is in his first season as the Washburn head tennis coach for the Ichabods men's and women's programs after being named to the position on July 23, 2020. Prior to Washburn, Ronning spent four seasons as the assistant coach at Azusa Pacific, where he helped lead the Cougars to multiple NCAA postseason appearances and earned himself both ITA West Region's Men's Tennis Assistant Coach of the Year and Women's Tennis Assistant Coach of the Year. 
• He earned his bachelor's degree in business from Bethel University (Minn) in 2014 and his master's in physical education from Azusa Pacific in May 2020.
• Ronning also played at Bethel for four years, playing primarily at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles position.

 
TAKE A LOOK AHEAD

• The Ichabods hit the road to face Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney next weekend (April 16-17). Washburn will face the Tigers on April 16 at 3 p.m. in Hays, Kan., before going head-to-head with the Lopers on April 17 at 1 p.m. in Kearney, Neb.