2017 Season
10-12 Overall | 2-3 GPAC | Season Stats
SEASON PREVIEW: 2017 Concordia men's tennis
At a glance
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Head coach: Joel Reckewey (3rd year)
2016 record: 7-12, 1-4 GPAC (5th)
Key returners: Patricio Esquivel (Sr.); Thomas Greeff (So.); Javier Moreno (Sr.); Gabe Poling (So.)
Key loss: Willy Pardos
Newcomers: Alex Kaldahl; Caleb Lauby; Josh Miller; Lucas Zoller
2016 GPAC All-Conference: Willy Pardos (singles/doubles); Javier Moreno (doubles); Gabe Poling (singles)
Outlook
The third season of head coach Joel Reckewey’s tenure leading the Concordia tennis programs is about to get underway. Four mainstays from last season’s lineup are back in the fold for the Bulldog men. That group includes seniors Patricio Esquivel and Javier Moreno, two natives of Morelia, Mexico, with vast collegiate playing experience.
After producing a 7-12 overall record and fifth-place conference finish in 2016, the Bulldogs have hopes of taking a step up the ladder this spring.
“One thing we’ve talked about this season is the word toughness,” Reckewey said. “That’s a word we want to use. We don’t want to beat ourselves on the tennis court. We want to make our opponents earn it. If we play tough and we play Bulldog tennis, I think we’re going to be successful.”
Sophomore Gabe Poling is the lone returning Bulldog who earned singles all-conference recognition last season. The sophomore from Chillicothe, Mo., went 11-6 at the No. 5 singles position during his freshman campaign. He tied fellow rookie Willy Pardos (12-6) for the team lead in overall victories. Not far behind was Thomas Greeff, a native of Pretoria, South Africa, who spent virtually the entire 2016 season at the No. 2 singles spot.
The growth of Greeff and Poling could go a long ways towards determining Concordia’s team success. Reckewey likes how they’ve come along as a doubles combo.
“Both of those guys won some big matches last year,” Reckewey said. “They found ways to win. They’re both really tall and with the match experience from last year, I think they’re going to have a stronger presence on the doubles court. I think the experience goes a long way. Now they know what to expect.”
Reckewey believes freshman Lucas Zoller (Lenexa, Kan.) will be a regular in the lineup. Zoller shined as a state medalist during his prep career at DeSoto High School. He says the competition he’s seen in practice has already raised the level of his game.
“It’s definitely different from high school because you have guys that are better than you and it’s so competitive,” Zoller said. “It’s nice to get that competition every day at practice. It makes you a better player and gets you ready for the season.”
Moreno teamed up with Pardos (left the program) on a 4-1 GPAC record at the No. 1 doubles spot in 2016. Now Moreno will have to adjust to life with a new doubles partner. Other returners who saw action in varsity matches last season are sophomores Tommy McNish and Dalton Merka.
Meanwhile, Zoller is part of a freshman class that includes Alex Kahldahl, Caleb Lauby and Josh Miller. Said Reckewey, “We have a good freshman class. We have a lot of height and a lot of speed with Lucas, Josh Miller and Alex Kaldahl. Those guys have a lot of talent. We’re fortunate to have them on the team. They have the ability to get better and really impact the team positively.”
The season officially gets started on Saturday (Feb. 4) when the Bulldogs take on Baker University (Kan.) inside the Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln. Zoller feels prepared to get his collegiate career underway. “I’d like to get some wins under my belt for sure, but the overall goal as a team is to get ready for conference and try to win conference.”
Three Bulldogs claim singles wins in season-opening defeat
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team made its season debut on Saturday inside the Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln. While the Bulldogs were dealt a 6-3 loss by Baker University (Kan.), three individuals for third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad produced singles victories.
Concordia is coming off a 2016 season during which it went 7-12 overall and placed fifth in the GPAC.
“I was pleased with the way the men competed considering we were without Javier Moreno,” Reckewey said. “We showed improvement over last season’s matchup with Baker. We had a chance to win at No. 2 doubles, we just couldn’t finish. That’s something we need to work on a team. Overall I was pleased with how we competed considering the circumstances.”
After getting swept in doubles play, the Bulldogs enjoyed better success in singles. Concordia picked up wins from Thomas Greeff (No. 2), Gabe Poling (No. 4) and Josh Miller (No. 6). A freshman from Omaha, Miller notched the first collegiate victory of his career.
The rest of the men’s singles lineup included senior Patricio Esquivel at No. 1, freshman Lucas Zoller at No. 3 and sophomore Tommy McNish at No. 3. In doubles play, Esquivel teamed with Poling at No. 1, Greeff paired with Zoller at No. 2 and McNish combined with Alex Kaldahl at No. 3.
The Bulldogs will play on campus on Thursday (Feb. 9) when NCAA Division II William Jewell College (Mo.) visits Seward. The match is scheduled to get underway at 5 p.m. CT inside the Fieldhouse.
Poling picks up lone match win in team loss to William Jewell
SEWARD, Neb. – In the second outing of the young season for the Concordia University men’s tennis team, sophomore Gabe Poling produced the lone winner in an 8-1 home loss that came at the hands of NCAA Division II William Jewell College (Mo.) inside the Fieldhouse on Thursday evening.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad now stands at 0-2 overall. The Bulldogs dropped a 6-3 decision last week in their season opener at Baker University (Kan.).
“I was pleased with the way we started out in doubles. We were ready to go,” Reckewey said. “Unfortunately, our effort in the doubles wasn’t enough to capture a victory. Gabe Poling continues to fight to the end and be a very resilient tennis player.”
Poling went to three sets before claiming a 6-2, 5-7, 10-7 win over Bjorn Myers at No. 4 singles. At the No. 1 spot, senior Patricio Esquivel won seven games, but fell, 7-5, 6-2. The rest of the singles lineup included Thomas Greeff at No. 2, Lucas Zoller at No. 3, Tommy McNish at No. 5 and Josh Miller at No. 6.
After missing the season opener, senior Javier Moreno returned and paired with freshman Alex Kaldahl at No. 3 doubles. The other two doubles combos were Esquivel and Poling at No. 1 and Greeff and Zoller at No. 2.
The Bulldogs will be departing from Seward early on Friday morning in preparation for a match in Des Moines, Iowa, at Grand View University (Iowa). Concordia’s men’s and women’s tennis teams will be in action versus the Vikings. First serve is set for 10:30 a.m. CT.
Moreno notches two wins at Grand View
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.
Bulldogs drop tight match at Central College
DES MOINES, Iowa – In a hotly contested match that included four third-set tiebreakers in singles play, the Concordia University men’s tennis team came up just shy of its first win of the 2017 season. Host Central College, affiliated with NCAA Division III, eked out a 5-4 victory over the Bulldogs in a contest that took place in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad has fallen to 0-4 overall this season. The Concordia men also dropped a 6-3 decision to Grand View University (Iowa) on Friday.
“It was a heartbreaking loss, but we competed all the way to the end,” Reckewey said. “I’m proud of the way we played. We were two points away from victory, two separate times. We were close enough to taste it.”
Singles matches at Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 6 all went to third-set tiebreakers. Concordia came out on top in two of those bouts. The Bulldogs’ Thomas Greeff held off Jacob Logan, 6-2, 5-7, 10-6, at No. 2 and Josh Miller triumphed over Scott Wilson, 6-4, 5-7, 11-9, at No. 6. Concordia also got a singles win from Gabe Poling (6-1, 6-4) at No. 5.
The lone Bulldog victory in doubles action came at No. 2 where Greeff and Lucas Zoller teamed up for a 9-7 decision over Garret Taylor and Wilson.
Both No. 2 Javier Moreno (6-4, 4-6, 10-8) and No. 4 Zoller (6-2, 4-6, 10-8) suffered close losses in singles in singles play. Concordia’s No. 1 spot was manned by Patricio Esquivel.
The Bulldogs will return to action on Friday when they in Fremont, Neb., versus Southwestern College (Kan.), a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The match is slated to get started at 4 p.m. CT.
Bulldogs fall to Southwestern
FREMONT, Neb. – In a neutral match that took place in Fremont, Neb., the Concordia University men’s tennis team fell at the hands of Southwestern College (Kan.), 9-0, at Fremont High School on Friday evening. Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad continues to seek its first victory of 2017.
There were near misses for the Bulldogs at No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles. At No. 2 singles, Thomas Greeff won the first set, 6-0, but ended losing in a third-set tiebreaker. He also fell by a 9-7 score at No. 2 doubles in a match he teamed up on with Lucas Zoller.
In addition to Greeff at No. 2, Concordia’s singles lineup included Patricio Esquivel (No. 1), Zoller (No. 3), Tommy NcNish (No. 4), Josh Miller (No. 5) and Alex Kaldahl (No. 6). Esquivel paired with Kaldahl at No. 1 doubles and McNish and Miller partnered at No. 3 doubles.
The Bulldogs will wait until next week to return to action. They will take on Ottawa University next Friday (Feb. 24) at 4 p.m. CT inside the Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln, Neb.
Bulldogs take down Braves
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team won four of six singles matches and two of three doubles bouts while tasting victory for the first time this season. Playing inside Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln, Neb., on Friday afternoon, the Bulldogs defeated Ottawa University (Kan.), 6-3.
Head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad is now 1-5 on the year. Said Reckewey, “We played great tennis from the start. Smart and aggressive doubles got us an early lead and we took momentum into singles. I’m proud of the way we played all the way to the finish.”
Singles wins came from Thomas Greeff (No. 1), Javier Moreno (No. 3), Gabe Poling (No. 4) and Lucas Zoller (No. 5). On the doubles court, Greeff and Zoller teamed up for an 8-6 victory at No. 1 and Moreno and Poling combined on a 9-7 win at No. 2. Poling is a perfect 5-0 this season in singles play.
The rest of the Bulldog lineup included Patricio Esquivel at No. 2 singles, Tommy McNish at No. 6 singles and the tandem of Miller and Alex Kaldahl at No. 3 doubles.
Concordia will be back at the Abbott Sports Complex on Saturday to take on another member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, Tabor College. First serve is set for 12 p.m. CT.
Bulldogs complete 2-0 weekend
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team found a groove this weekend, defeating a pair of foes from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The latest victim was Tabor College (0-2). In a match contested inside Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday, the Bulldogs defeated the Bluejays, 6-3.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad moved to 2-5 overall.
“The men are bringing their ‘A’ game to the doubles court and it’s making a huge difference,” Reckewey said. “I am very pleased with how the guys played. Now we have some momentum building by picking up our second win in a row.”
Three Bulldogs were perfect in both singles and doubles: Javier Moreno (No. 3 singles/No. 2 doubles), Gabe Poling (No. 4 singles/No. 2 doubles) and Josh Miller (No. 6 singles/No. 3 doubles). A sophomore from Chillicothe, Mo., Poling has been on a roll. He is now 6-0 in singles play after his comfortable 6-1, 6-0 win on Saturday.
Moreno and Poling combined for an 8-4 win at No. 2 doubles and Patricio Esquivel paired with Miller for an 8-2 win at No. 3. The other doubles tandem was Thomas Greeff and Lucas Zoller at No. 1. Greeff also held down the No. 1 spot in singles. Esquivel played at No. 2.
The Bulldogs will attempt to push their winning streak to three when they host Kansas Wesleyan University (2-0) inside the Walz Fieldhouse at 10 a.m. CT on Friday (March 3). Concordia will also welcome Bethel College (Kan.) to Seward for a 12 p.m. match next Saturday.
Concordia falls short of third-straight win
SEWARD, Neb. – Looking for its third-straight team victory, the Concordia University men’s tennis squad came up one win short in 5-4 defeat at the hands of Kansas Wesleyan University on Friday. The match took place inside the Walz Fieldhouse.
Prior to Friday’s loss, third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad had defeated Ottawa University (Kan.) and Tabor College (Kan.) in its previous two outings.
“Multiple opportunities within grasp slipped away in today’s match,” Reckewey said. “We were in position in three of our matches to capture the fifth team point needed for the team win. Our guys will be stronger by going through these tough competitions.”
The Bulldogs trailed 2-1 after doubles. The lone victory came from the pair of Javier Moreno and Gabe Poling. The two sides then split the singles matches. The singles wins were produced by Thomas Greeff (No. 1), Patricio Esquivel (No. 2) and Lucas Zoller (No. 5). At No. 4, sophomore Gabe Poling lost a singles bout for the first time this season.
Concordia will also host Bethel College (Kan.) on Saturday. First serve is set for 12 p.m. CT.
Bulldogs win for third time in four matches
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team has now won three of four matches after claiming another win inside the Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Bulldogs toppled visiting Bethel College (Kan.), 7-2.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad has run its overall record to 3-6. Concordia took care of the Threshers by taking two of three doubles matches and then five of six singles bouts.
“We showed perseverance after a tough match yesterday,” Reckewey said. “The men bounced back and were ready to play high level tennis. Our guys did a good job taking care of business.”
The Bulldogs gained the upper hand in doubles with wins at No. 1 from the duo of Thomas Greeff and Lucas Zoller, 8-4, and at No. 2 from the pair of Javier Moreno and Gabe Poling, 8-2.
Concordia dominated singles action, winning at Nos. 1 through 5 from the likes of Greeff, Moreno, Patricio Esquivel, Poling and Zoller. Poling now owns a season singles record of 7-1.
The Bulldogs are in the middle of a stretch of five-consecutive days with a match. They will hit the road on Sunday and play at Hesston College (Kan.) in a match slated to get started at 1 p.m. CT.
Bulldogs stay hot, pick up road win over Hesston
HESSTON, Kan. – Behind sophomore Gabe Poling, the Concordia University men’s tennis team has been stacking victories in recent action. On Sunday afternoon, the Bulldogs won two of three doubles matches on their way to a 5-4 road win over Hesston College (Kan.).
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad has won four of its last five matches to improve to 4-6 overall. All four wins have come over teams that hail from the state of Kansas.
Poling, a native of Chillicothe, Mo., rolled to a 6-1, 6-0, win at No. 4 singles and is now 8-1 this season in singles play. Concordia also picked up singles wins at the top (No. 1 Thomas Greeff) and bottom (No. 6 Josh Miller) of its lineup over the Larks (0-3). Greeff is now 4-1 when playing at the No. 1 spot.
In doubles, the pairs of Javier Moreno and Poling at No. 2 and Patricio Esquivel and Miller at No. 3 both turned in 8-4 wins to give the Bulldogs the lead heading into singles. The combo of Greeff and Lucas Zoller fell at No. 1, 8-3.
The Bulldogs have two more matches before they will take an extended break in their schedule. Next up is a date with Friends University (Kan.) (0-3) for a match set to begin at 3 p.m. CT in Wichita on Monday.
Also on Sunday, the Concordia women’s tennis team recorded a 9-0 win at Hesston. Only one match was contested. Bulldog freshman Angela Bell won, 6-1, 6-1, over Becca Delp. The Concordia women will also play at Friends on Monday.
Concordia concludes Kansas tour by topping Friends, falling at Bethany
LINDSBORG, Kan. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team can finally take a breath following a stretch of five-straight days with a match. The Bulldogs went 3-2 during that period that finished with an 8-1 win over Friends University (Kan.) on Monday and then a 7-2 loss to No. 24 Bethany College on Tuesday.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad now stands at 5-7 overall.
In Monday’s victory in Wichita, Kan., over Friends, Concordia won every single match with the exception of No. 1 singles. Elsewhere in singles, Patricio Esquivel (No. 1), Gabe Poling (No. 2) and Lucas Zoller (No. 3) churned out contested victories. The Bulldogs won at No. 5 and No. 6 by default.
The Bulldogs owned a commanding 3-0 lead after doubles courtesy of wins by the pairs of Thomas Greeff and Zoller at No. 1, Javier Moreno and Poling at No. 2 and Esquivel and Josh Miller at No. 3.
In the latest affair, Concordia came up short against a perennially solid Bethany program. The Swedes swept through doubles and then won four of six singles bouts. Concordia got its only wins at the Nos. 3 and 5 singles spots, which were occupied by Moreno and Zoller, respectively. Poling fell at No. 4, dropping his season record to 9-2.
The Bulldogs will wait until March 30 to return to action. On that date, Concordia will go up against Nebraska Wesleyan inside the Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln, Neb. First serve is set for 4 p.m. CT.
Bulldogs drop nailbiter at Nebraska Wesleyan
LINCOLN, Neb. – In a match that featured three third-set tiebreakers, the Concordia University men’s tennis team came up just short of victory while playing on the campus of Nebraska Wesleyan. The host Prairie Wolves earned a 5-4 win on Thursday evening.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad will enter its first conference match next week with an overall record of 5-8. Said Reckewey, “We fought to the end. This match will have us well prepared for upcoming conference matches.”
The Bulldogs did their best to overcome a 2-1 deficit after doubles. Of the three-set tiebreakers, Concordia claimed wins in two of them with No. 2 Javier Moreno and No. 5 Lucas Zoller outlasting their opponents from Nebraska Wesleyan (2-10). Gabe Poling also triumphed at the No. 4 singles spot, 6-0, 6-2. Poling carries an impressive 10-2 singles record on the season.
The lone Bulldog victory in doubles was produced by the No. 1 combo of Thomas Greeff and Zoller. They won by a score of 8-5. As part of the excruciatingly close contest, the duo of Moreno and Poling fell, 8-7 (7-5), at No. 2. At the No. 6 singles slot, Josh Miller was defeated, 5-7, 6-2, 10-5.
Concordia will be back in action on April 6 when Doane (4-6) visits Seward in what will be the conference opener for the Bulldogs. Concordia placed fifth in the GPAC in 2016.
Poling enjoys perfect night in 7-2 team loss
SEWARD, Neb. – Visiting Doane spoiled the GPAC opener for the Concordia University men’s tennis team by taking five of six singles matches and two of three doubles bouts. The Tigers remained unbeaten in GPAC play with a 7-2 victory over the Bulldogs in a match contested on the Bulldog Tennis Courts on Thursday evening.
The loss is the third in a row for third-year head coach Joel Reckewey. Concordia has slipped to 5-9 overall and to 0-1 in conference play.
“Doane played a high level of tennis,” Reckewey said. “We had our chances, but just couldn’t get the job done.”
Sophomore Gabe Poling has been a force at the No. 4 spot in the Bulldog lineup. He improved his singles record to 11-2 with a 6-3, 6-0 triumph over Arcane Boles. Poling also combined with Javier Moreno and an 8-2 victory at No. 2 doubles.
Those were the lone winners on the evening for Concordia against a Doane squad that also owns a conference win over Midland. The Tigers now stand at 6-6 overall and are 2-0 in league action. Doane was able to hold off the Bulldogs in third-set tiebreakers at both the Nos. 2 and 5 singles positions.
The Bulldogs will remain at home on Saturday when they will play host to Morningside (8-5, 0-0 GPAC). First serve is set for 12 p.m. CT from the Bulldog Tennis Courts. In the most recent official GPAC rankings, the Mustangs checked in at No. 2.
Concordia doubles teams highlight loss to Morningside
SEWARD, Neb. – Despite another singles win by sophomore Gabe Poling, the Concordia University men’s tennis team dropped a 6-3 decision to Morningside in a match played at the Bulldog Tennis Courts on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs took two of three doubles bouts.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad returned to action two days after a 7-2 home loss to Doane in its GPAC opener. Concordia slipped to 5-10 overall to 0-2 in the conference.
The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead into singles action after doubles wins by the combos of Thomas Greeff and Lucas Zoller at No. 1 and Javier Moreno and Poling at No. 2. However, the Mustangs (9-5, 1-0 GPAC) reversed that momentum by triumphing in five of six singles bouts.
Poling has been nearly unbeatable at the No. 4 singles spot. He took out Samuel Castro, 6-4, 6-1, on Saturday and is now 12-2 overall. He’s won his first two GPAC singles matches.
Five total regular-season matches loom for Concordia, which now looks forward to Thursday’s trip to Fremont, Neb., for a 4 p.m. CT match at Midland (8-9, 0-1 GPAC).
Concordia cleans up in singles, defeats Midland
FREMONT, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team dug out of a 2-1 hole after doubles, rallying for its first conference victory of the 2017 season. Behind the continued steady play of sophomore Gabe Poling, the Bulldogs squeaked by Midland, 5-4, in Fremont, Neb., on Thursday evening.
The victory put an end to a four-match skid for third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad. Concordia improved its records to 6-10 overall and to 1-2 in conference action.
The margin for error was razor thin on Thursday. Half of the singles bouts went to third-set tiebreakers. The Bulldogs pulled out two of those. The team decision ultimately came down to the No. 6 singles spot, where Concordia freshman Josh Miller outlasted Steven Deere, 6-7, 6-2, 10-8. At No. 1, sophomore Thomas Greeff held off Andy McDill, 2-6, 6-2, 10-4.
Additional Bulldog singles wins were produced by senior Patricio Esquivel, 6-2, 7-5, at No. 3 and by Poling, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 4. Poling has now won four-straight matches and has improved his season singles record to 13-2. He has yet to fall at the hands of a GPAC opponent.
In doubles action, the combo of Javier Moreno and Poling came away victorious, 8-3. The Warriors (8-10, 0-2 GPAC) took wins at the Nos. 1 and 3 positions.
Before closing out the Easter weekend, Concordia will go up against Mount Marty (0-0) at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday. The match will take place inside the Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln.
Concordia earns second-straight GPAC win
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team is attempting to make a climb back up the conference standings. The Bulldogs have now won two GPAC matches in a row after sweeping away Mount Marty, 9-0, inside Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln on Saturday.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad improved to 7-10 overall and to 2-2 in conference action.
The Bulldogs dropped only one set all afternoon in a dominant outing. Reckewey used Saturday’s match to insert Dalton Merka (No. 5) and Caleb Lauby (No. 6) into the singles lineup. They responded with wins like all other Bulldogs did. The rest of the singles lineup was made up of Thomas Greeff (No. 1), Javier Moreno (No. 2), Gabe Poling (No. 3) and Lucas Zoller (No. 4).
In doubles play, Concordia’s victorious pairs were Greeff and Zoller at No. 1, Moreno and Poling at No. 2 and Patricio Esquivel and Alex Kaldahl at No. 3. The Lancers (0-1) managed to win a total of eight games during doubles competition.
The Bulldogs will dip outside of conference play next Saturday when they take on NCAA Division III foes Wartburg College (Iowa) and Buena Vista University (Iowa) in Lincoln.
Concordia takes out pair of NCAA D-III foes
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s tennis team took a break from conference play and fended off two opponents from the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of NCAA Division III. In Saturday’s action, the Bulldogs nipped Wartburg College (Iowa), 5-4, and then won handily, 7-2, over Buena Vista University (Iowa). Both matches were played in Lincoln.
Third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad has run its record to 9-10 overall thanks to four-straight wins, including two over conference foes. Said Reckewey, “It’s great to see our guys play that well and have everyone contributing throughout the lineup.”
Sophomore Thomas Greeff produced a pair of victories at the No. 1 singles spot in his impressive day. In the victory over Wartburg, the back half of the singles lineup paid significant dividends. Nos. 4 through 6 players Gabe Poling, Lucas Zoller and Josh Miller all turned in wins to help pull out the team triumph. Those victories were needed after Concordia fell behind, 2-1, after doubles. The winning Bulldog combo was made up of Patricio Esquivel and Miller.
Concordia won more comfortably in its second match of the day by snagging victories in two of three doubles and five of six singles matches over the Beavers. In a revamped lineup, singles wins were claimed by Greeff, Javier Moreno (No. 2), Esquivel (No. 3), Caleb Lauby (No. 5) and Alex Kaldahl (No. 6). Moreno and Poling and Kaldahl and Tommy McNish were part of victorious doubles teams.
During its active win streak, Concordia has defeated Midland and Mount Marty in addition to the victories earned on Saturday. It marks a season high win streak.
The regular season will wrap up on Tuesday when Hastings (7-7, 3-0 GPAC) visits Seward for a 4 p.m. CT first serve. The GPAC tournament will be held in Fremont, Neb., May 5-6.
Concordia concludes regular season with loss to first-place Hastings
LINCOLN, Neb. – Aiming for its sixth-straight GPAC title, Hastings proved too much for the Concordia University men’s tennis team on Tuesday evening in a match contested at the Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln. The occasion marked the final match of the regular season for the Bulldogs, who fell at the hands of the Broncos by a 9-0 score.
Currently in third place in the conference, third-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad will enter postseason play at 9-11 overall (2-3 in the GPAC).
Even red hot Gabe Poling saw his six-match singles win streak come to an end on Tuesday. He was defeated by Tim Fischer, 6-1, 6-0. The Broncos did not lose a single set on the evening. The closest match came at No. 2 singles where Concordia’s Javier Moreno dropped a 7-5, 6-3, decision.
Next up for the Bulldogs will be the GPAC tournament, set to be held May 5-6 in Fremont, Neb. All six GPAC men’s tennis teams will compete at the event.
Postseason run halted in conference semifinals
FREMONT, Neb. – The postseason push for Concordia University men’s tennis concluded when it ran into conference champion Hastings in the GPAC semifinals. The Bulldogs were one of the last four standing after clipping Midland, 5-4, in the quarterfinals. Concordia then bowed out after falling, 5-0, while up against the Broncos in a match that took place at the Fremont High School Tennis Complex in Fremont, Neb., on Friday.
Head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed after placing fourth in the GPAC during the regular season. The Bulldogs finished the 2017 season with an overall mark of 10-12.
A highlight performer all season, sophomore Gabe Poling captured his team high 16th singles win by a 6-4, 6-7, 6-2, decision at No. 4 in the win over Midland. Poling and company rallied back after facing a 2-1 deficit following doubles action. Poling and Javier Moreno eked out a crucial 9-7 triumph at the No. 2 doubles spot. Concordia then took singles matches at the Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5 spots to earn its second 5-4 victory over Midland this season.
Besides Poling, other Bulldog singles winners were Thomas Greeff (No. 1), Moreno (No. 2) and Lucas Zoller (No. 3).
In the round that followed, Hastings ran away from Concordia by sweeping through doubles. Greeff and Zoller came closest to victory, falling 9-7 at the No. 1 spot. The Broncos ended the match early by taking decisions at singles positions Nos. 4 and 6.
Moreno, Poling recognized by GPAC
SEWARD, Neb. – Senior Javier Moreno and sophomore Gabe Poling highlighted the Thursday’s (May 11) all-conference announcement from the perspective of Concordia University men’s tennis. The No. 2 doubles combo of Moreno and Poling landed on the All-GPAC listing while Poling garnered honorable mention for his performance in singles.
As a tandem, Moreno and Poling dropped just one match during GPAC play. Overall this season, they combined to go 12-4 at the No. 2 doubles position. A native of Chillicothe, Mo., Poling posted a singles record of 16-3 (12-3 at No. 4), including a mark of 4-1 in conference regular-season matches. Moreno, who hails from Morelia, Mexico, recorded a singles record of 9-8 while splitting time between the Nos. 2 and 3 spots.
Poling was also an All-GPAC singles selection in 2016. Moreno has now collected all-conference recognition a total of three times in his Concordia career. He raked in GPAC honors for doubles in 2016 and was honorable mention in singles and doubles as a freshman in 2014.