Marshall University Athletics
Tennis Concludes Seven Match Road Trip
3/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 4, 2009
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University women's tennis team will conclude its seven match road trip this weekend with a pair of matches in Virginia. The No. 49 Thundering Herd is set to face the No. 41 Virginia Commonwealth University and No. 55 Old Dominion University.
Marshall first challenges VCU, Friday, at 2 p.m. at the Thalhimer Tennis Center. The Herd then travels to Norfolk, Va. to play the Monarchs, Saturday, with first serve set for 11 a.m. at the Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center.
"We are going into the weekend with a big challenge," Marshall's head coach John Mercer said. "We will have two tough matches ahead of us."
The Herd enters the weekend 7-5 so far this season, while the Rams are 10-5 overall and the Monarchs stand 9-4 on the season.
VCU and Marshall have met twice in school history, with the Rams leading the all-time series, 2-0. The Herd fell 6-0 to the Rams last season in Huntington.
"Virginia Commonwealth is a very talented team," Coach Mercer continued. "They always bring intensity and the match is always a tough one for us."
Marshall has faced Old Dominion six times in school history, with the Monarchs leading the series, 4-2. Last season, the Herd took a 6-1 victory over the Monarchs in Huntington.
"Old Dominion is not ranked as high as they should," Coach Mercer added. "They are always a good team that puts together a top team every year."
Senior Kellie Schmitt (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked 91st, leads the Herd and continues to climb the Herd's all-time career list with a 10-2 singles record so far this season. Schmitt plays at the No.1 singles slot.
Sophomore Catherine Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.) is Marshall's next best singles record at the No. 6 position with a 9-2 record for the Herd.
Also in singles play, Isabell Raich (Klaus, Austria) is 6-6, Karolina Soor (Lindesburg, Sweden) stands 8-3, Deanna Bailey (McDonough, Ga.) is 5-7, and Jessica Keener (Reston, Va.) stands 8-3.
Old Dominion's Nadine Fahoum is ranked 99th, while teammate Charleen Haarhoff is ranked 105th in the latest singles poll.
The pair of Haarhoff and Fahoum is 34th, while the Monarchs duo of Joanna Dobrowolska and Irina Dementyeva stand 79th in the latest doubles rankings.
VCU's Ana Bara stands at No. 122 in the latest singles poll.
Marshall began its seven match road trip in mid-February with two close 4-3 losses to both No. 67 Minnesota and No. 23 Washington, respectively. The Herd then fell 5-2 to No. 20 Virginia.
The Herd defeated Eastern Michigan, 7-0, and Michigan State, 4-3, last weekend in Michigan.
Marshall stands 2-2 at home, 4-2 on the road and 1-1 at neutral sites so far this season.
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