MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women’s tennis team hosts its final pair of Big 12 matches this weekend, as the Mountaineers welcome No. 34 TCU on Friday, April 22, and No. 17 Texas Tech on Sunday, April 24.

 

Friday’s contest against the Horned Frogs is set to begin at 4 p.m., inside Ridgeview Racquet Club, while Sunday’s match against the Lady Raiders is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., at the Mountaineer Tennis Courts.

 

Both matches are free to all fans, and there will be pizza available prior to the contests. The Mountaineers also will host their first-ever Stripe the Stadium event on Friday and Sunday. In addition, Sunday’s contest will include a free 30-minute youth clinic following the match.

 

West Virginia also will celebrate the career of lone senior Hailey Barrett this weekend. A native of Lansing, Michigan, Barrett has represented WVU in fine fashion, playing primarily at the No. 1 singles slot all four years. She was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team for three consecutive seasons and landed on the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team her freshman year. Majoring in sport management, Barrett also was named a 2015 ITA Scholar Athlete. In addition, Barrett was selected to participate in the 2015 NCAA Career in Sports Forum last summer. She also landed on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll each semester of her academic career.  

 

“Senior Day is a big day for anyone,” said third-year coach Miha Lisac. “It is a reflection of the player’s path through the program. It’s a special occasion for anyone, especially Hailey (Barrett). She is not just a senior, she is our senior leader. Since I have been here, Hailey (Barrett) has stepped up tremendously. I came in when she was a sophomore, and she has challenged herself each and every day. She has grown as a person tremendously.

 

“She also is involved with the athletic department on a daily basis. She is the vice president of SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee), and she attended a leadership conference last summer. That conference really motivated her to pursue a career in athletics. She also has challenged herself on the tennis courts. Hailey (Barrett) has grown a lot, and she is setting herself up for a very successful career. That is what we want to see with our program. When we send players off, we want them to be ready and prepared for what’s to come next.  Hailey (Barrett) is reaching that level, and it will be a special day for her to reflect on her path at West Virginia University.”

 

West Virginia (6-12, 0-7) and TCU (12-5, 4-3) will meet for the fourth time in program history, as the Mountaineers look to capture their first win over the Horned Frogs in the all-time series. Last season, WVU dropped a 4-1 decision to TCU on April 12, at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center, in Fort Worth, Texas.

 

West Virginia and Texas Tech (19-4, 4-3) also will meet for the fourth time in program history, as the Lady Raiders hold a 3-0 edge over the Mountaineers. Last season, WVU fell to TTU by a score of 4-0 on April 10, at the McLeod Tennis Center, in Lubbock, Texas.

 

Most recently, West Virginia dropped a pair of Big 12 road matches at Texas and Baylor, respectively. The Mountaineers dropped a 5-0 decision to Texas on April 16, at the Weller Indoor Tennis Center, in Austin, Texas, followed by a 4-0 loss to Baylor on April 17, at the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Center, in Waco, Texas.

 

Sophomore Habiba Shaker leads the team in singles play with an overall record of 12-3, followed by freshman Paula Goetz with seven singles victories. Sophomores Lyn Yuen Choo and Carolina Lewis each own six singles wins apiece. The doubles tandem of Barrett and Shaker holds a team-best 7-3 mark at the No. 1 slot, while the duo of junior Kaja Mrgole and Choo hold a perfect 5-0 record at the No. 3 slot this season.

 

In its last weekend of competition, TCU split a pair of Big 12 road matches at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, respectively. TCU claimed a 4-0 victory over Oklahoma on April 15, at the Headington Tennis Center, in Norman, Oklahoma. The Horned Frogs then dropped a 4-1 decision against the Cowgirls on April 18, at the Greenwood Tennis Center, in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

 

TCU’s Seda Arantekin and Caroline Wegner check in at No. 26 in this week’s Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) doubles poll. The pair has won nine of its last 10 matches, totaling 21 victories this spring. In singles action, Aleksandra Zenovka leads the team with an overall mark of 22-10 this season. Olaya Garrido-Rivas also holds an 18-13 mark and has won seven of her last eight matches.

 

Most recently, TTU also split a pair of Big 12 road matches at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, respectively. Texas Tech fell to Oklahoma State by a score of 4-1 on April 15, at the Greenwood Tennis Center, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Lady Raiders then captured a 4-0 decision at Oklahoma on April 17, at the Headington Tennis Center, in Norman, Oklahoma.

 

Five Lady Raiders have produced double-digit victories this spring: Felicity Maltby (16-2), Sarah Dvorak (15-4), Sabrina Federici (12-2), Alex Valenstein (12-4) and Gabriela Talaba (10-7). Talaba ranks No. 96 in this week’s ITA singles rankings, followed by Dvorak at No. 99. Lynn Kiro and Valenstein also rank as the No. 47 doubles tandem in the country, while Talaba and Valenstein check in at No. 90.

 

Of note, Texas Tech will face Iowa State in a Big 12 matchup on Friday, April 22.

 

“We are not treating this weekend any differently,” Lisac noted. “We want to continue moving forward, and we want to improve our overall mentality and preparation. We also have to use this weekend to prepare for the conference tournament. We are at the end of the season, and now, things have to start coming together. There is no more tomorrow. We want everyone to put their progress together on the same day. Individual progress has been evident, but we have to put it together as a team.”