Sooners Conclude Home Slate

NORMAN, Okla. – The 29^th-ranked Oklahoma women's tennis team will conclude its 2014-15 home schedule with weekend matches against the Kansas State Wildcats on Friday, April 10 at 5 p.m. CT and the Kansas Jayhawks on Sunday, April 12 at noon CT. Both matches will be played at the Headington Family Tennis Center.

The Sooners are looking to get back in the win column after losing their previous five matches to opponents currently ranked 36^th or higher, with four of those currently ranked in the Top 20. Despite the losses, OU head coach David Mullins doesn't feel the need to change much and isn't fazed.

“I don't know that we have to deviate too much from what we have done,” said Mullins. “We have played some really good teams and they beat us. It hasn't really been anything that we have done wrong for the most part.”

Mullins is continuing to develop the youth in his lineup, consistently using four freshmen in both doubles and singles play. The freshmen have combined for a 29-19 between the four that have participated in the spring.

Kansas State enters the weekend with a 8-12 overall record (1-4, Big 12 Conference). The Wildcats are led at doubles by Carolina Costamagna and Palma Juhasz, who have accumulated a 7-1 record at No. 1 doubles. In singles, Juhasz has a 9-7 dual record, including 6-3 at the No. 2 position.

Kansas comes in with 7-0 overall record (3-2, Big 12 Conference). Madison Harrison leads the Jayhawks in singles with a 11-4 dual record (8-2 at No. 3, 3-2 at No. 4). Harrison also owns a 7-4 doubles record in dual play with partner Smith Hinton at the No. 2 position.

Senior Day

OU will celebrate the career of lone senior Abbi Melrose at Sunday's match against Kansas. Melrose has represented the University of Oklahoma well both on and off the court. On the court, Melrose won a Big 12 Conference championship at No. 2 doubles in 2012 with partner Mia Lancaster. Her career dual record in singles stands at 38-34, while her doubles dual record stands at 19-14. Her overall career record in singles is 60-53.

Abbi's .769 singles winning percentage in 2013-14 ranks 8^th in program history for one season.

Melrose has been named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team each of the last two years (2013, 2014) and was named an ITA Scholar Athlete in 2012 and 2014.

Seeking 100

Mullins enters the weekend with 98 career wins in just seven seasons as head coach of OU. The milestone would become just the latest of several recent accomplishments for the Sooners' head coach.

In 2014, Mullins led the Sooners to their highest ITA ranking ever, coming in at No. 14 the week of March 4. OU also reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in school history and the second time under Mullins. Oklahoma's success in 2014 would eventually lead to its highest ITA preseason ranking in school history, entering this season ranked No. 24. In addition, Mullins was named the ITA Central Region Coach of the Year in 2014.

Live Scoring

KSU: http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=210004447

KU: http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=210004687

Looking Ahead

The Sooners conclude the regular season when they travel to Morgantown, W. Va., to battle the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday, April 18 at the Ridgeview Racquet Club at noon CT.

Players Mentioned

Mia Lancaster

Abbi Melrose

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics