SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Tennis has only two final matches to complete its regular season schedule, and the slate includes Doane for senior day (April 15). The two teams will battle it out for the second spot in the conference and the bye in postseason play. The Bulldogs will face Fort Hays State University (Kan.) on Friday.
Tuesday, April 15 vs. Doane (13-2, 4-1 GPAC), 4 p.m.
--Live Updates: @cunebulldogs X/Formerly Twitter | Location: Bulldog Tennis Courts (Seward, Neb.)
Friday, April 18 vs. Fort Hayes State (12-6), 1 p.m.
--Live Updates: @cunebulldogs X/Formerly Twitter | Location: Bulldog Tennis Courts (Seward, Neb.)
CUNE is 14-2 overall and 4-1 in GPAC play. The Bulldogs are one win away from tying the single season high for the program (15) and would match the 2019 season that went 15-6 and 5-2 in the GPAC. Winning 13 of their last 14 matches, the Dawgs continued to roll with a 7-0 victory over Hastings and a 6-1 triumph over former GPAC Nebraska Wesleyan University.
The Derman sisters clamped down on the Broncos, only giving their opponents one game apiece in singles play. After taking all three doubles, Concordia came out with a dominant victory, not having to go into any extra sets. Against the Prairie Wolves, No. 2s Chakira Derman and Alana Lopez Pagan (6-3) and No. 3s Tessa Blough and Alexa Richert (6-1) took doubles. No. 4 Lopez Pagan (6-2, 6-1) and No. 3 Ishane Derman (6-1, 6-1) won with ease in straight sets in their singles play. No. 1 Mariana Molano, No. 2 Chakira and No. 5 Richert all won in tiebreakers to seal the win in Lincoln.
Singles play has been utterly dominant, with an 81-15 record throughout the year. Ishane (14), Chakira (14), Molano (13), Lopez Pagan (12) and Richert (11) have all reached double digit wins as mainstays in their respective positions. In doubles, the Bulldogs are 34-14 with Blough and Richert (won seven consecutive) having the most wins (10) as a pair and Molano and Chakira having the greatest win percentage (.727).
Chakira is on fire in individual play with a 12-match hot streak. The Southeast transfer hasn’t seen defeat since Feb. 21 against Ottawa University (Kan.). In the run, she has bested her adversaries 145-37 in games at No. 2 singles. Molano joins her with eight straight and has not lost a match without a tiebreaker the entire season. She defeated her opponents via 100-33 in games in the eight-match stretch. Alexa Richert and Tessa Blough have a streak of their own, winning seven straight, all at No.3, except one (No. 2).
Senior Tessa Blough will be celebrated at the match against Doane and has posted 32 doubles wins and 17 singles in her career. The Cody High product is 2-2 (singles) on the season and 10-6 in doubles. An ITA NAIA National Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award winner, Blough is a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete and 2024 All-GPAC honorable mention (doubles).
Opponents
Doane has a 13-2 overall record and a 4-1 GPAC showing. Both teams with the same conference record will battle it out for the second spot in the GPAC tournament, which receives a bye in the first round. The Tigers have defeated CSM (6-1) and Northwestern (6-1) in their last two matches.
Fort Hayes has totaled a 12-6 record and went 2-0 against Hastings in the two bouts. Irina Alfonso (17-6) and Grace Unruh (15-7) carry the top showings for the Tigers. The Asuncion, Paraguay native broke Fort Hayes's single-season total win record with a collective of 36 wins in singles and doubles.
Up next
Concordia will have to see how things play out with the rest of the conference standings, but it has guaranteed a spot in the GPAC tournament. The last GPAC match is on Wednesday (April 16).