SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia Men’s Tennis team hosted their first dual since breaking into the new year, welcoming Tabor College into Walz Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs got ahead early in doubles and never surrendered the lead in the 5-2 triumph. Michael Bedrosian collected his third win in the No. 4 spot, going .500 this season. Three different Bulldogs went 2-0 on the day, including Santi Abadia, Manuel Rodriguez and Bedrosian. Concordia is 2-4 in its 2023-24 year.
With their first win at home, Head Coach Lisa Hart was all smiles after the match. “I’m proud of how the guys played today. Being able to win the doubles point was great to see and it sets you up well to claim the fourth point. We were up 3-2 with two guys left to play and Manuel did a really good job of controlling his match to seal the win.”
Rodriguez and Abadia at No 2s, fought off Stephano Moreano and Jake Goertzen for the first doubles set victory (6-2). With No. 1s falling to the Bluejays, Luke Johnson and Bedrosian needed to come up big to get ahead for the first point. The duo used home court advantage to clasp a 6-3 set, needing only three more to take the dual.
Rodriguez at No. 5, clinched the fourth team point, getting out in front of Carlos Robles in the first set (6-3). The La Salle Buen Pastor, product scorched his opponent in the second set (6-0) shutout. Before the win was sealed, No. 3 Abadia backhanded past Goertzen (6-1, 6-3) in straight sets.
As Bedrosian continued singles at No. 4, he fell in a heartbreaking first set (6-7), which took extra play for him to see defeat. The freshman out of Fowler, Calif., awoke as a sleeping giant, smashing through Moreano (6-2) in the second and took the win in the tiebreaker.
With the victory captured, Mitch Krumm kept the energy high, defeating John Ferley (6-1, 6-4) who tried to keep the match going in the second set.
Tabor drops to 2-2 overall and will look to rebound against Doane on Feb. 27, after taking a 10-day break. The Bluejays are used to winning in a clinch, having both their 4-3 victories over Hastings and Baker University (Kan.).
Concordia (2-4) will not get as big of a break, traveling to Grand Island, Neb. to dual Kansas Wesleyan University on Thursday (Feb. 22). First serve is set for 10 a.m. in the Grand Island Tennis Center.