By Paul Suellentrop
 
Zaid Al Mashni wiped away a bit of blood. Its place of origin was unclear to him. Nose? Lip?
 
He suffered the scrape at the bottom of a joyous dogpile on Sunday, so he happily wore that consequence. Al Mashni closed out No. 64 Wichita State's 4-3 win over No. 34 Oklahoma State at Coleman Tennis Complex and braced for his teammates to rush from the adjoining court.
 
"I should have prepared better, honestly," he said. "I laid on the ground until they came after me. I don't know what happened, but I'm bleeding."
 
Wichita State (9-7) defeated the Cowboys (12-4) for the first time since 1996 to win their fifth straight match. Al Mashni clinched it with 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-4 win over Nicolas Kobelt at No. 2 singles.
 
The Shockers won the doubles point by taking No. 1 and No. 3. After the Cowboys started singles with wins at No. 3 and No. 4, Ilias Worthington turned the match with a two-set win over Alessio Basile at No. 1. The Shockers also claimed No. 6 singles with Rodrigo Cruz bouncing back from a 6-2 loss with 6-1 and 6-4 results.
 
Al Mashni rebounded from the first-set loss and handled cramps, wind and sun that tilted the edge toward one side of the court. Crowd and teammates focused on the decisive outcome. His teammates chanted "I say 'Wu,' you say 'Shock,' Wu Shock. Wu Shock." OSU responded with "Okla-homa, Okla-homa, Okla-homa. State."
 
 

WINNING IS FUN!#FearTheWheat🌾 pic.twitter.com/JW7oY4TJ9t

— Wichita State Men's Tennis (@GoShockersMTEN) March 8, 2026

 
"Very long match," Al Mashni said. "Lot of crazy bounces. A lot of tough conditions to stay mentally locked in. The third set was a complete grind."
 
Al Mashni led the third set 4-1. Kobelt cut it to 5-4 before Al Mashni ended his rally.
 
"I'm just thinking to move my feet as much as possible, try to put the ball in the court," Al Mashni said. "I'm cramping. I don't have much fuel. I'm trying to get energy. Grind it out. Make him play one more ball."
 
Al Mashni clinched WSU's 5-2 win over No. 52 Nebraska a week earlier.
 
"He trusts himself," WSU coach Darragh Glavin said. "He backs himself against anybody, so that's who you want when it comes down to it."
 
Glavin sees that confidence growing throughout the roster during the win streak, the team's longest since 2021. The Shockers ended a 15-match losing streak to Oklahoma State after the Cowboys entered Sunday with wins over No. 14 San Diego and South Florida. WSU defeated the Huskers for the fourth time in five meetings.  
 
"We've been close in every match this season, so I think to be able to pull through these last two against ranked opponents gives them the belief that we can beat anybody we play," Glavin said.
 
That momentum started in early February with a 4-2 loss to No. 10 Oklahoma. The Shockers won the doubles point and No. 3 singles. No. 5 singles went to three sets. That effort, Al Mashi said, convinced the Shockers they possess the talent to compete. Playing with that mindset comes next.
 
"We had very good chances to win that match," Al Mashni said. "I think the team, after that match, we shifted the mentality. The level is there."
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.