SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska responded after its first conference loss with a dominant victory over Northwestern on Saturday. The Bulldogs have two more matches in the coming week against GPAC foe Hastings (April 9) and in-state former GPAC opponent Nebraska Wesleyan University. CUNE will look to garner two more wins as it has reached a 12-2 overall showing and a 3-1 conference showing.
Wednesday, April 9 vs. Hastings (7-9, 2-2 GPAC), 11 a.m.
--Live Updates: @cunebulldogs X/Formerly Twitter | Location: Bulldog Tennis Courts (Seward, Neb.)
Thursday, April 10 at Nebraska Wesleyan (8-7), 4 p.m.
--Live Updates: @cunebulldogs X/Formerly Twitter | Location: LSF Sports Complex (Lincoln, Neb.)
After falling in a heartbreaker to Morningside (3-4), Concordia rebounded with a decisive 6-1 triumph over the Red Raiders. With doubles tied at one set apiece, No. 1s Mariana Molano and Ishane Derman had a fight on their hands but prevailed in the end, 7-6(5). No. 2 Chakira led off singles with a 6-0, 6-0 blanking and No.1 Molano followed suit (6-2, 6-2). No. 3 Alana Lopez Pagan clinched the fourth point. The Forney, Texas, native dropped a 6-3, 6-1 win over her NWC opponent. No. 4 Ishane (6-1, 6-2) and No. 5 Richert (6-2, 6-1) rounded out the six team points with straight set victories.
With 12 team wins and two bouts on the docket, the Bulldogs will have a chance to make this season a special one in the program’s history. Already surpassing their win total from last season, Head Coach Lisa Hart and company will hit 14 wins with two triumphs this week. The highest in the program is 15 (2019) and has only reached 13 on two additional occasions, in 2018 and 2023.
Four players have reached double digit wins in singles play as the Derman sisters lead with 12 apiece. Ishane (12-1) and Chakira (12-2), the Lomé, Africa, natives have put a huge stamp on the success of this season through 14 matches. Molano has won 11, with Lopez Pagan’s most recent victory having eclipsed 10.
Chakira is on fire in individual play with a 10-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 120-29 in games at No. 2 singles. Molano joins her with six straight and has not lost a match without a tiebreaker the entire season. In the six-match stretch, she has defeated her opponents via 76-19 in games. Alexa Richert and Tessa Blough have a streak of their own, winning five straight, all at No.3, except one (No. 2).
Three Bulldogs have reached over 20 doubles wins in their career, and at the top is Tessa Blough with 30. The Cody, Wyo., native has already matched her season high this year with eight. Molano, a junior, has 27 total doubles wins and Lopez Pagan is not far behind with 23.
Opponents
Hastings comes into the week with a 7-9 overall record and a .500 (2-2) showing in the GPAC. The Broncos defeated Mount Marty (7-0) and College of Saint Mary (5-2) in conference. Lexi Benson at No. 5 is 3-1 in GPAC singles play. Last season, the Bulldogs defeated Hastings, 5-2, in Hastings, Neb.
Nebraska Wesleyan is 8-7, recently falling to Doane, 0-7, in Lincoln, Neb. Addi Duranski has won 10 matches in singles (10-2) and primarily competes at No. 5. Anna Burt (9-4) and Parker Brown (8-7) also lead the Prairie Wolves in singles.
Up next
Concordia will face Doane in its final regular season conference match and will take on Fort Hayes State University (Kan.) before the GPAC tournament. The last two duals will be in Seward, Neb., at the Bulldog Tennis Courts.