Marshall University Athletics
Tennis Travels to Minnesota for Pair of Matches
2/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 12, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University women's tennis team will begin a seven match road trip this weekend with a pair of matches in Minneapolis, Minn. The 44th-ranked Thundering Herd first plays the 66th-ranked University of Minnesota, Friday at 7 p.m. (EST). Marshall then challenges the 36th-ranked University of Washington, Saturday, with first serve set for 2 p.m. (EST).
"We thank Minnesota for the opportunity to have both matches at such a nice facility," Marshall's head coach John Mercer said. "We hope we can rise to the occasion in these tough matches this weekend."
The Herd enters the weekend 5-2 overall, while the Golden Gophers are 4-2 overall, and Washington stands 4-1 so far this season. Both matches will be played at the Baseline Tennis Center on Minnesota's campus.
Friday evening's match against the Golden Gophers will be the third meeting between the two schools. The all-time series between Marshall and Minnesota stands tied at 1-1. During the 2004 season, the Herd tied the series with a 6-1 victory in Huntington.
"Minnesota has always resulted in tight matches over the years," Coach Mercer continued. "We are going to have a great opportunity to play another excellent and ranked Big Ten team."
The Herd and the Huskies have met once in school history, with Washington leading the all-time series, 1-0. In the most recent meeting, Marshall fell 7-0 to the Huskies early in the 2003 season.
"Washington is a really good team that is having a great season so far," Coach Mercer added. "They are actually a better team than their ranking, and it will be great to play a Pac-10 team at a neutral site."
Sophomore transfer Catherine Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.) is the Herd's only undefeated singles player with a 6-0 record at the No. 6 position thus far this season. The 33rd-ranked Kellie Schmitt (Pittsburgh, Pa.) follows with a 6-1 record at the No. 1 mark.
Also in singles action, sophomore Isabell Raich (Klaus, Austria) is 4-3 at the No. 2, Karolina Soor (Lindesburg, Sweden) stands 4-2 at the No. 3 slot, Deanna Bailey (McDonough, Ga.) is 4-3 at the No. 4 mark, and Jessica Keener (Reston, Va.) stands 5-1 at the No. 5 position.
Marshall's 44th-ranked senior pair of Schmitt and Soor is the Herd's only undefeated team so far this season, with a 6-0 record at the No. 1 slot.
Also in doubles play, Keener and Bailey are 3-2 at the No. 2 and Kellner and Raich stands 1-2 at the No. 3.
Minnesota's Alessandra Ferrazzi stands No. 115 in the most recent polls.
Washington also has players ranked in the most recent singles poll. Venise Chan is ranked No. 81, while her teammate Denise Dy is No. 112. The Huskies pair of Chan and Dy is No. 47 in the most recent doubles poll.
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