SALINA, Kan. – While playing a Kansas Wesleyan University program that had handed it a loss six months earlier, the Concordia University men’s tennis team opened up the 2017-18 season in positive fashion. The Bulldogs took four of six singles matches on their way to a 5-4 victory over the Coyotes in a match contested in Salina, Kan., on Thursday afternoon.
Fourth-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad is coming off a 10-12 season in 2016-17. Last year’s squad advanced to the semifinals of the GPAC tournament.
Concordia made up for a 2-1 deficit after doubles play by getting singles wins from Josh Miller (No. 3), Luke Zoller (No. 4), Jeremy Berryman (No. 5) and Gio Moraes (No. 6). Both Berryman and Moraes made their collegiate debuts. Returners Thomas Greeff and Alex Kaldahl held down the Nos. 1 and 2 spots in the Bulldog lineup.
Berryman and Moraes were perfect on the day. They combined on an 8-1 victory at No. 3 doubles. Concordia’s other doubles teams were made up of Greeff and Zoller at No. 1 and Kaldahl and Miller at No. 2.
The only fall event left on the schedule is the Doane Invitational set for Sept. 15-16 in Fremont, Neb. The tournament will not involve any team scoring. The season will then resume in February. The bulk of the 2017-18 season will take place in the spring.