HASTINGS, Neb. – First-place Hastings had entered the day having won three of its four GPAC matches by 9-0 scores. On Wednesday (April 25) in Hastings, the Concordia University women’s tennis team made a run at the Broncos before falling by a 6-3 final. Senior Alison Ebel led the charge for the Bulldogs by earning victories at No. 5 singles and No. 3 doubles.
Fourth-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad slipped to 10-8 overall and to 1-3 in conference play. Concordia was coming off a 9-0 win over Northwestern this past weekend.
An upset of Hastings (8-5, 5-0 GPAC), currently receiving votes nationally, would have been a game changer for the Bulldogs, who have had a challenging slate to open up conference play. While Ebel was perfect on the evening, sophomore Kirsten Wagner picked up a win, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 4 singles. Concordia also pushed the Broncos at Nos. 2 and 3 singles (spots held down by Katelinn Wurm and Claudia Miranda Viera, respectively) and at No. 2 doubles, where Wurm and Miranda Viera teamed up. Miranda Viera dropped a 10-set tiebreaker.
At No. 1 singles, Annie Horn had her streak of 10-straight wins during GPAC regular-season action interrupted by Kelsey Brown. Horn fell, 6-0, 6-1. The final position in the singles lineup was filled by junior Kayla Smock, who also joined Ebel on the 8-1 victory at No. 3 doubles.
The Bulldogs will try again to make up their match with College of Saint Mary (8-6, 4-1 GPAC). The two sides are now set to meet on the Concordia campus at 5:30 p.m. CT on Thursday. Last season Concordia topped the Flames, 5-4, in the quarterfinals of the GPAC tournament.