SEWARD, Neb. – A four-match win streak provides momentum for Concordia University Men’s Tennis as it looks forward to a pivotal week of conference action. Fresh off wins in three-straight days from Thursday through Saturday last week, the Bulldogs are looking forward to playing at Hastings on Wednesday before hosting reigning GPAC champion Midland on Saturday. Head Coach Cam Long’s squad enters the week with a spotless 3-0 conference mark (6-6 overall). Concordia is tied with Midland atop the conference standings.
This Week
Wednesday, April 6 at Hastings (3-6, 1-1 GPAC), 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 9 vs. Midland (14-3, 3-0 GPAC), 11 a.m.
By the numbers
· A new set of GPAC ratings came out last Monday (March 28). The Bulldogs landed at No. 3 behind Midland and Doane. Concordia will have its opportunities yet to go up against both Nebraska rivals. Since the start of the 2021 season, the Bulldogs have lost to only one GPAC opponent – Midland. Concordia is 8-1 in its last nine GPAC regular season matches. The Bulldogs will likely have to go through the Warriors if they are to reach the national tournament for the first time in program history. Midland owns a 10-match win streak within conference regular season action.
· During the active four-match win streak, Concordia has claimed victories over Morningside, 4-3, Mount Marty, 6-1, NCAA Division III Central College (Iowa), 7-0, and Northwestern, 6-1. Another two nonconference contests remain on the slate – April 19 at Kansas Wesleyan University and April 20 versus Nebraska Wesleyan. A tough schedule seems to have prepared the Bulldogs well for GPAC play. They started out 0-4 before winning six of the next eight. As part of the out of conference schedule, Concordia took on one of the nation’s top JUCO programs and played an NCAA Division II foe.
· This past week was the most dominant one yet for the Concordia men. They combined to 16-2 in singles and 9-0 in doubles. In singles action, three Bulldogs were a perfect 3-0 last week: Joe Bindl, Shawn Springer and Juan Rabellino. Bindl also went 3-0 in doubles while pairing up with three different teammates. Long actually used seven different doubles combinations last week with spotless results. In the white washing of Mount Marty, Concordia won all three doubles decisions by 6-0 scores.
· On the season, the men’s team is a combined 38-34 (.528) in singles and 23-13 (.639) in doubles. From a results standpoint, the top doubles combos for the Bulldogs have been Eduardo Luzzi and Rabellino (6-2) and Berryman and Bindl (6-2). In singles competition, Isaac Howes is the lone Concordia player to have appeared in all 12 matches. He’s now 6-6 this season. Five other Bulldogs have at least four singles wins this season: Springer (5-5), Bindl (5-6), Berryman (4-2), Rabellino (4-3) and Jack Kitson (4-4).
· Wednesday’s opponent, Hastings, was ranked fifth in the most recent GPAC rating. The Broncos are 1-1 within conference play having defeated Mount Marty, 6-1, and lost at the hands of Doane, 7-0. The Broncos went 4-11 (2-4 GPAC) last season. On Saturday, Concordia will take its shot at Midland, a team that is receiving votes nationally. The Warriors tested themselves in the month of March against two nationally ranked foes and has since rolled through their first three matches inside the conference. Midland has regularly finished atop the GPAC in recent seasons.
Next week
The Bulldogs will close out conference play on April 12 with a visit to Doane. It will be the only match on next week’s slate.