DES MOINES, Iowa – Senior Javier Moreno provided singles and doubles wins to highlight the efforts of the Concordia University men’s tennis team on Friday. The Bulldogs came up on the short of a 6-3 final score in a match hosted in Des Moines, Iowa, by Grand View University.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad has fallen in each of its first three matches so far this season.
“We had good performances again from Gabe (Poling), who’s just playing at a high level,” Reckewey said. “Javier as well – it’s his senior season and he’s playing confident. He’s playing like a leader. He’s playing good doubles. He’s playing good singles.
“The men’s match was actually a lot closer than the score would appear. We are putting ourselves in a position into win, we’re just not finishing.”
A senior from Morelia, Mexico, Moreno defeated Diego Novoa convincingly, 6-2, 6-0, at the No. 4 singles spot. Prior to that match, Moreno teamed up with freshman Alex Kaldahl on an 8-4 win at No. 3 doubles. The other Bulldog win came at No. 5 singles, a position held down by sophomore Gabe Poling. He topped Ben Zoller, 6-3, 6-1.
The other spots in the singles lineup were manned by Patricio Esquivel at No. 1, Thomas Greeff at No. 2, Lucas Zoller at No. 3 and Tommy McNish at No. 6. Esquivel and Poling paired at No. 1 doubles and Greeff joined Lucas Zoller at No. 2 doubles.
Concordia will stick around central Iowa for a 12 p.m. CT match at Central College in Pella, Iowa, on Saturday. The Dutch are affiliated with NCAA Division III.