SEWARD, Neb. – In its first action since Feb. 26, the Concordia University Men’s Tennis team dominated visiting Sterling College (Kan.). The Tuesday (March 15) afternoon match marked the Bulldogs’ first outdoor home contest of the spring season. Ten different Bulldogs made up the doubles/singles lineup in what amounted to a 7-0 victory. Concordia did not drop a single set.
Head Coach Cam Long’s squad has won back-to-back matches by 7-0 scores and has improved to 2-4 overall.
“In practice yesterday I could tell everyone was eager to be back,” Long said. “They were locked in and really looking forward to today. I think that showed in the scores. It was really good to get everybody in the lineup and able to play. Eduardo Rojas got two wins on his birthday, so that was awesome to see.”
The Bulldogs set the tone in doubles play in winning by scores of 6-3 at No. 1, 6-4 at No. 2 and 6-0 at No. 3. The doubles pairs were made up of (in order): Eduardo Luzzi and Juan Rabellino, Jack Kitson and Eduardo Rojas and Jeremiah Berryman and Joe Bindl. The combos of Luzzi and Rabellino and Kitson and Rojas have moved to 3-1 on the season.
Berryman did not relinquish a single game in his doubles/singles matches. At the No. 5 singles spot, the Broken Arrow, Okla., native won, 6-0, 6-0. Winning performances were also turned in by Isaac Howes (6-4, 6-1) at No. 1, Rojas (6-1, 6-1) at No. 2, Shawn Springer (6-4, 6-1) at No. 3, Manuel Rodriguez (6-1, 6-1) at No. 4 and Luke Johnson (6-0, 6-1) at No. 6. Among the singles victors, Rojas (3-3) owns the most wins this season.
The Warriors slipped to 0-4 while continuing their nonconference tour of the GPAC. A Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member, Sterling has also been beaten this season by Morningside, Midland and Hastings. Last season, Concordia traveled to Hutchinson, Kan., and defeated the Warriors, 5-2.
The Bulldogs will be right back at home to host Bethel College (Kan.) (1-4) at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday. Concordia will attempt to avenge its 6-1 loss from last season at the hands of the Threshers, who also compete as a member of the KCAC.