SIOUX CITY, Iowa – A challenging nonconference slate appears to have prepared the Concordia University Men’s Tennis team well for the start of GPAC action. In the conference opener at Morningside on Saturday (March 26), the Bulldogs prevailed, 4-3, while getting winning performances in both singles and doubles from Eduardo Luzzi and Juan Rabellino. Concordia took two of three doubles contests while splitting the six singles matches with the Mustangs.
Head Coach Cam Long’s squad improved to 3-6 overall while defeating a Morningside foe that had entered the weekend with a 7-2 overall mark.
“It’s great to start off the GPAC schedule in the win column,” Long said. “Morningside will be a tough out for anyone the rest of the season. We played well from the start and had our chances to put them away early, but credit to them for hanging tough. They made a late push in the match, but we were able to hang on. We’re excited to keep working and improving for the rest of the conference slate.”
Dating back to last season, the Bulldogs have won six of their last seven GPAC regular season matches. Concordia also edged Morningside by a 4-3 score in 2021. In the latest matchup, the Bulldogs gained the upper hand in doubles thanks to the work of Luzzi and Rabellino at No. 1 (6-2) and Joe Bindl and Jeremiah Berryman at No. 2 (6-4). The Mustangs triumphed at No. 3, 6-2.
In singles, Rabellino clinched team victory when he took out Danny O’Brien, 6-1, 7-6 (5), in a match with hotly contested second set. Prior to win by Rabellino, Luzzi claimed victory at No. 1 (6-2, 6-2) and Isaac Howes stayed hot by taking a 6-3, 6-4, decision at No. 2. The rest of the Concordia lineup was filled by Shawn Springer at No. 3, Jack Kitson at No. 4 and Bindl at No. 5.
The Mustangs finished at 8-9 overall (3-3 GPAC) last season. They began 2022 conference play on March 18 with a 7-0 victory over Mount Marty.
The Bulldogs will take on Mount Marty (0-4) in Yankton, S.D., at 1 p.m. CT on Thursday. Concordia will attempt to duplicate last season’s 7-0 win over the Lancers.