Complete Release in PDF Format

April 3, 2008

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University's women's tennis team will ends it seven-match road trip Saturday against Middle Tennessee State (6-13) in Murfreesboro, Tenn. at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center with first serve set for 11 a.m.

The 60th-ranked Thundering Herd squad (12-8) hopes to end its five-match losing streak Saturday morning.

"We are looking forward to traveling to Tennessee," Marshall's head coach John Mercer said. "We have been working hard to prepare for the match."

The No. 26 pair of Kellie Schmitt (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Karolina Soor (Lindesberg, Sweden) stand at 14-3 so far this season with an 8-6 victory last week over South Alabama's 35th-ranked duo of Adrianna Solarova and Sylvanie Spangenberg, at the number one slot.

Playing the number two position, Isabell Raich (Klaus, Austria) and Thaddea Lock (Bristol, England) hold a 6-10 record. The pair of Jessica Keener (Reston, Va.) and Yulia Kashelkina (Moscow, Russia) are 9-6 at the number three.

In singles competition, the 58th-ranked Schmitt leads the Herd with a 17-2 record so far this season playing the number one mark. Keener follows with an 8-3 record so far playing mostly the six. Keener is also 2-0 at the four and 0-2 at the five.

Jeanne Schwartz (West Palm Beach, Fla.) stands 6-3 at the four, 0-4 at the three, 3-3 at the two, and 0-1 at the one. Playing mostly the number two position, Soor is 4-9 and also 4-1 at the three. Raich is 2-7 at the number four, 8-2 at the three and 0-1 at the two. Playing the five, Lock holds a 9-8 record and is 0-1 at the number three. Kashelkina stands 5-3 at the six and 1-0 at the five in singles competition.

"We hope to bounce back from a couple of tough weekends," Coach Mercer added. "But we will be ready for the challenge."

The Herd leads the all-time series over the Blue Raiders, 6-0, with a 5-2 victory in 2007.