2018-19 Women's Tennis Schedule/Results
15-6 overall | 5-2 GPAC (3rd) | Season Stats | Roster
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time/Result | Record |
| Sept. 8 | Central College | Seward, Neb. | W, 5-4 | 1-0 |
| Sept. 14-15 | GPAC Invitational | Fremont, Neb. | 8 a.m. | |
| Feb. 8 | Grand View University | Des Moines, Iowa | L, 3-6 | 1-1 |
| Feb. 22 | Bethel College (Kan.) | Lincoln, Neb. | W, 8-1 | 2-1 |
| Feb. 23 | Bethany College | Lincoln, Neb. | W, 9-0 | 3-1 |
| March 1 | Sterling College | Seward, Neb. (FH) | W, 8-1 | 4-1 |
| March 2 | Ottawa University | North Kansas City, Mo. | L, 1-8 | 4-2 |
| March 6 | Colorado State University-Pueblo | Pueblo, Colo. | W, 4-3 | 5-2 |
| March 7 | SW Minnesota State University | Colorado Springs, Colo. | L, 1-8 | 5-3 |
| March 7 | Colorado College | Colorado Springs, Colo. | W, 5-4 | 6-3 |
| March 21 | Nebraska Wesleyan University | Lincoln, Neb. | W, 7-2 | 7-3 |
| March 27 | *Hastings College | Seward, Neb. | L, 4-5 | 7-4, 0-1 |
| March 30 | *Morningside College | Seward, Neb. | W, 9-0 | 8-4, 1-1 |
| April 4 | *Doane University | Seward, Neb. | W, 9-0 | 9-4, 2-1 |
| April 6 | *Northwestern College | Orange City, Iowa | W, 9-0 | 10-4, 3-1 |
| April 9 | *Midland University | Fremont, Neb. | W, 7-2 | 11-4, 4-1 |
| April 12 | *Mount Marty College | Seward, Neb. | W, 8-1 | 12-4, 5-1 |
| April 16 | *College of Saint Mary | Omaha, Neb. | L, 3-6 | 12-5, 5-2 |
| April 22 | Baker University | Baldwin City, Kan. | W, 7-2 | 13-5 |
| GPAC Championships: April 26-27 | ||||
| April 26 | Midland (quarterfinals) | Fremont, Neb. | W, 5-0 | 14-5 |
| April 26 | College of Saint Mary (semifinals) | Fremont, Neb. | W, 5-3 | 15-5 |
| April 27 | Hastings (championship) | Fremont, Neb. (Fremont YMCA) | L, 4-5 | 15-6 |
2018-19 Roster
| Name | Ht. | Yr. | Hometown | Previous School |
| Lyric Allen | 5-2 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb | Lincoln Christian |
| Angela Bell | 5-6 | So. | Preoria, Ariz. | Centennial |
| Luissa Esquival | 5-4 | Fr. | Morelia, Mexico | Universidad La Salle |
| Ansley Gates | 5-5 | So. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest |
| Megan Hakes | 5-6 | Fr. | Erie, Colo. | Erie |
| Katy Krejci | 5-7 | Fr. | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest |
| Britney Lewis | 5-5 | Fr. | Lees Summit, Mo. | Lee's Summit North |
| Marlene Maier | 5-4 | Sr. | Uppsala, Sweden | Alcorn State Univeristy |
| Allison Marshall | 5-4 | So. | Woodbury, Minn. | East Ridge |
| Claudia Miranda Viera | 5-7 | So. | Torrejon, Spain | IES Valle-Inclan |
| Gabrielle Moseley | 5-4 | Fr. | Castle Rock, Colo. | Lutheran |
| Cora Rhodes | 5-8 | So. | Fort Morgan, Colo. | Fort Morgan |
| Lindee Schults | 5-7 | Jr. | Hastings, Neb. | Adams Central |
| Kaitlin Seja | 5-5 | So. | Loveland, Colo. | Thompson Valley |
| Kirsten Wagner | 5-7 | Jr. | York, Neb. | York |
| Sarah Woodward | 5-2 | So. | Gering, Neb. | Scotssbluff |
| Katelinn Wurm | 5-5 | Sr. | Bradenton, Fla. | Manatee |
STAFF
David DeSimone, Head Coach (1st Year)
Javier Moreno, Graduate Assistant Coach
Reckewey steps down from head tennis post
Aug. 1, 2018
SEWARD, Neb. – After four seasons leading the Concordia University tennis programs, Joel Reckewey announced his resignation, which became effective this past month. The Lincoln native plans to continue to be active within the local tennis scene. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln alum, Reckewey became head coach for Bulldog tennis prior to the 2015 seasons.
In his final season as head coach, Reckewey came up just shy of leading the women’s program to the GPAC tournament championship match. Spurred by perennial all-conference performer Annie Horn, Concordia reached the conference semifinals in each of Reckewey’s final three years in Seward. Meanwhile, the men’s program reached the GPAC semis in 2017. While effectively increasing the roster numbers for both the men’s and women’s programs, Reckewey won a combined 63 matches. The 13 wins for the women in 2018 were a school single-season record.
Director of Athletics Devin Smith thanked Reckewey for his service. Said Smith, “Coach Reckewey has been a blessing to the Bulldog Athletic Department over the past few years. Joel has been a tireless recruiter who bolstered both men’s and women’s rosters, emphasized high academic expectations as seen with the collection of NAIA Scholar Team Awards, and provided amazing instructional techniques and strategies that emphasized his strong tennis knowledge. He was very committed to our university’s mission and was a passionate leader throughout his time here. We wish Joel and his young family the best.”
In addition to competitive play on the court, the Concordia tennis programs have routinely appeared on the list of NAIA Scholar-Teams released each summer. Over four years, Reckewey’s squads produced a combined 13 individual NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards.
The position of head tennis coach at Concordia remains open. Nikita Kostikov will serve as the graduate assistant tennis coach during the 2018-19 academic year.
Maier, two other Bulldogs reach title matches at GPAC Invite
Sep. 17, 2018
FREMONT, Neb. – Three men and three women representing the Concordia University tennis teams made their way to championship singles matches as part of the GPAC Invite staged at Fremont High School in Fremont, Neb., this past hot and sultry Friday and Saturday (Sept. 14-15). The event provided an early look at where the Bulldogs stand amongst their conference competition.
The bulk of the 2018-19 season will take place this coming spring for Concordia tennis squads coached by Nikita Kostikov and Javier Moreno. The Bulldog women’s team officially opened up the new year on Sept. 8 with a 5-4 win over Central College (Iowa).
The women have already debuted an impactful new arrival at the top of their lineup. A transfer from NCAA Division I Alcorn State University (Miss.), senior Marlene Maier got the campaign started on Sept. 8 with a singles victory at the No. 1 position. She continued an impressive early season run by advancing to the title match in Flight A, a bracket featuring many of the conference’s top players. Maier won three matches before being defeated in the championship by Hastings star Kelsey Brown (6-2, 1-0, retire), the tournament’s top seed.
Five other Bulldogs also reached championship bouts. Tommy McNish claimed the title in Flight C while Ansley Gates (Flight C), Isaac Howes (Flight B), Alex Kaldahl (Flight C) and Kayla Smock (Flight B) turned in runner-up finishes in their respective brackets. McNish defeated Kaldahl in the men’s Flight C championship.
The GPAC Invite also included three flights of doubles brackets for both men and women. In the women’s Flight A, Maier and Kirsten Wagner advanced to the semifinals after toppling their opponents from Northwestern in the quarterfinals. In men’s Flight A action, the duo of Jeremiah Berryman and Luke Zoller made it to the quarterfinals. Doubles teams of Joseph Bindl and Jack Kitson and Josh Miller and Octavio Velazquez both claimed two victories.
Only one date remains on the fall slate for the Concordia tennis programs. Both squads will be in Baldwin City, Kan., on Saturday, Oct. 6. The men and women will go up against Tabor College (Kan.) and Baker University (Kan.).
Season preview: 2019 Concordia women's tennis
Feb. 7, 2019
Coach: Javier Moreno
2018 record: 13-10 overall, 3-4 GPAC (5th)
Key returners: Allison Marshall (So.); Claudia Miranda Viera (So.); Kirsten Wagner (So.); Katelinn Wurm (Jr.).
Key losses: Alison Ebel; Annie Horn; Kayla Smock.
Newcomers: Lyric Allen; Luisa Esquival Bustamante; Megan Hakes; Katelyn Krejci; Britney Lewis; Marlene Maier; Gabrielle Moseley.
2018 GPAC All-Conference: Alison Ebel (singles; doubles honorable mention); Annie Horn (singles); Claudia Miranda Viera (singles honorable mention); Kayla Smock (singles honorable mention; doubles honorable mention).
Outlook
An impactful transfer and a large roster are two dynamics in play for a Concordia University women’s tennis program on the cusp of this spring’s first serve. Recent CUNE graduate Javier Moreno has taken the lead for the Bulldogs, who will move on without All-GPAC performer Annie Horn. She went a combined 28-11 in singles matches over her junior and senior seasons. Despite her graduation, there are plenty of options to fill out a lineup.
Sophomore Claudia Miranda Viera is back in the fold after collecting singles honorable mention all-conference accolades. Returners Allison Marshall, Kirsten Wagner and Katelinn Wurm were also regulars in the 2018 lineup.
“We’ve made some changes but we just want to keep going with what we’ve been working on,” Moreno said. “I think this next season will be different from the past few years. We’ve worked so hard and we’re seeing a huge difference in how our players are performing. They notice it too.”
There is one big reason in particular that gives credibility to the thought that Concordia will be improved in 2019. The Bulldogs welcomed in transfer Marlene Maier, who played three seasons at NCAA Division I Alcorn State University (Miss.). The native of Uppsala, Sweden, has seemingly raised the level of everyone at practice. Maier immediately gravitated to the No. 1 spot in the singles lineup in a 5-4 win over Central College (Iowa) back on Sept. 8.
Maier says that things have gone smoothly in terms of acclimating to new surroundings and new teammates. Maier is actually one of seven new faces within the women’s tennis program.
“I think it’s worked really well,” Maier said. “We have a lot of new players. I’m a transfer and we have a lot of freshmen. I think the whole team atmosphere is a little bit different from last year from what I understand. We’re starting to really get to know each other well. The atmosphere is really coming together.”
In addition to defeating Central during the abbreviated fall season, Concordia competed at the GPAC Invite in the middle of September. Maier will likely be motivated by her defeat in the championship match in Flight A of the singles bracket. Maier also teamed up with Wagner to advance to the semifinals in Flight A of doubles. In addition, sophomore Ansley Gates reached the title match in Flight C of singles.
The singles lineup in the win over Central featured Maier at the top along with Miranda Viera, Wurm, Wagner, Kayla Smock (no longer a member of the team) and Marshall. Wurm produced a win at No. 3. Miranda Viera’s 11 singles victories last season were second on the team behind Horn. Maier is ready to handle the pressure of being at No. 1.
“Of course there’s pressure, but I think my experience from my last three years has really taught me not to stress out about those kinds of things,” Maier said. “I think I’ve embraced it well so far. I just need to play my game.”
One goal Maier and company have for this season is to break through and reach the GPAC tournament title match. In each of the past three seasons, Concordia has seen its season end in the conference semifinals. In last season’s semifinal round, the Bulldogs fell by a 5-3 score to conference co-regular season champion Midland. Miranda Viera earned a win at the No. 3 singles spot in that match.
The 2018 Concordia squad played 23 total matches and broke a program record by winning 13 of them. The Bulldogs are still in search of that first bid to the NAIA national championships. With Maier on board, they will expect more than what was accomplished in 2018.
“We have high chances of doing better than previous years,” Moreno said. “We want to at least reach the conference final. It’s not just based on what I’ve seen in this team, it’s also based on the results we had in the GPAC individual tournament. I believe we can compete with anybody.”
Concordia will begin the spring season on Friday by playing at Grand View University (Iowa). First serve is set for 11 a.m. CST.
Bulldogs drop spring opener at Grand View
Feb. 8, 2019
DES MOINES, Iowa – In its first action since the middle of September, the Concordia University women’s tennis team found its way to central Iowa on Friday (Feb. 8). The result was a 6-3 loss at the hands of Grand View University (Iowa). The Bulldogs captured two wins in singles and one in doubles.
Coach Javier Moreno’s squad also earned a 5-4 victory over Central College during an abbreviated fall season. Concordia is now 1-1 overall.
Transfer Marlene Maier (a three-year contributor at Alcorn State University) again topped the lineup for the Bulldogs. She fell at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-4, to Kristina Khmelevskaia. In doubles, Maier teamed up with Claudia Miranda Viera in an 8-3 defeat. Maier was followed in the singles lineup by Miranda Viera, Kirsten Wagner, Allison Marshall, Lindee Schultz and Angela Bell.
Schultz won at No. 5, 7-5, 6-0, over Tina Kajtazovic while Bell took a 6-0, 6-0, decision at No. 6. The other Bulldog victory was delivered by the No. 3 doubles combo of Marshall and Wagner.
A member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, the Vikings picked up their first win of the 2018-19 campaign.
Concordia will return to action in two weeks (Feb. 22) when it takes on Bethel College (Kan.) at Genesis Health Club in Lincoln, Neb. First serve is set for 4 p.m. CST.
DeSimone tabbed to take over head tennis role
Feb. 18, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – A former team MVP during his time as a student-athlete at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, David DeSimone has been named the head coach for Concordia University’s men’s and women’s tennis teams. DeSimone will begin his duties today (Feb. 18) and officially become a full-time staff member of the athletic department on June 1. In addition to coaching duties, DeSimone will serve in an athletic fund development role.
The Bulldog tennis teams have been coached during the 2018-19 academic year by graduate assistants Nikita Kostikov and Javier Moreno. Kostikov and Moreno will remain on staff through the 2019 season. The Concordia tennis squads opened up their spring seasons on Feb. 8.
DeSimone is familiar with the settings within the Bulldog athletic department having spent time as an intern alongside his previous role as a Development Operations Assistant at the University of Nebraska, where he is finishing his master of arts in business.
Wrote DeSimone in a statement, “It is a blessing and honor to become a member of the Concordia University Athletic Department as the Head Tennis Coach. I am grateful to President Brian Friedrich, Devin Smith, Angela Muller and all Concordia administrators for their support and the opportunity to join the Concordia University family. I am excited to help these student-athletes reach new heights in their faith, academics and athletics.”
Said Director of Athletics Devin Smith, “We are thrilled to welcome David as our new head tennis coach. I am a firm believer in his skills as a Christian leader, his organization, his ability to teach the game of tennis and his experience in fund development. In his time as an intern within our athletic department, David continually impressed me his hunger to advance in the athletic realm and I know he is extremely motivated to succeed in this capacity. Through the hiring process, myself and Associate Director of Athletic Angela Muller grew confidence in how David can positively impact our student-athletes, our athletic department and our university as a whole.”
Since finishing his undergrad at Kalamazoo in 2015, DeSimone has held several tennis coaching positions. He has served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Augustana College (Ill.) and worked as a Junior Development Pathway Director at Quad City Tennis Club. As a student-athlete, DeSimone also served as an assistant at the USTA Boys’ 18 and 16 National Championships in Kalamazoo. During his season with Augustana, DeSimone helped tutor a pair of all-conference players while collaborating on bringing in a highly rated class of recruits.
Since June 2018, DeSimone has been working to build up the Huskers Athletic Fund, whose membership has increased by over 900 members since August. DeSimone’s tasks within athletic fund development have been varied to include managing seat and hospitality areas at sporting events and strategic communications with donors and potential donors.
DeSimone successfully balanced his commitments as a student-athlete at Kalamazoo. He played throughout the lineup during his career while garnering numerous honors, including recognition as a two-time team MVP, four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete, two-time first team all-conference member and as a team captain his senior season. DeSimone also collected many academic honors such as the Hornet Award for exceptional athletic performance, academic performance and leadership.
A native of Bettendorf, Iowa, David is married to Maddy, who works as an elementary teacher in Seward.
Concordia dominates Bethel, Bethany
Feb. 23, 2019
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia University women’s tennis team dropped only one match all weekend while taking care of a pair of visitors to Nebraska in Bethel College (Kan.) and Bethany College (Kan.). In action contested inside Genesis Health Club in Lincoln on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 22-23), the Bulldogs topped Bethel, 8-1, and then Bethany, 9-0.
The weekend provided David DeSimone his first opportunity to see his teams in action. The Kalamazoo College alum was named Concordia’s head men’s and women’s tennis coach on Monday. Graduate assistant Javier Moreno is also on staff. Concordia is 3-1 overall this season.
The Bulldogs effectively shook off a 6-3 loss at Grand View University (Iowa) two weeks ago by going a combined 11-1 in singles and 6-0 in doubles this weekend. Four Concordia players each went 2-0 in singles versus Bethel/Bethany: Marlene Maier, Kirsten Wagner, Angela Bell and Lindee Schultz. A transfer from NCAA Division I Alcorn State University, Maier had no trouble at all. She won 6-0, 6-0, on Friday and then 8-0 on Saturday.
The Bulldog lineup featured the same three doubles pairs in both weekend matches: Maier and Claudia Miranda Viera at No. 1, Wagner and Allison Marshall at No. 2 and Angela Bell and Lindee Schultz at No. 3. Two of the doubles matches versus Bethany were won by forfeit.
Concordia’s other win this season came by a 5-4 score over Central College (Iowa) back on Sept. 8. Maier is the team’s leader with three singles victories in 2018-19.
Next up will be next weekend (March 1-2)’s trip to Kansas for tussles at Sterling College and at Ottawa University.
Concordia splits weekend slate versus KCAC foes
Mar. 2, 2019
NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Concordia University women’s tennis team returned to action this weekend with a pair of matchups against foes from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. In a home battle with Sterling College (Kan.) on Friday (March 1), the Bulldogs swept through doubles play while breezing to an 8-1 victory inside the Fieldhouse. The next day, Concordia hit the road and dropped an 8-1 decision at the hands of Ottawa University (Kan.).
Head coach David DeSimone’s women’s tennis team is now 4-2 overall as it heads into its spring break trip. Four opponents in a row have come from the state of Kansas.
Senior Marlene Maier continues to lead the way for the Bulldogs. She surrendered only two games while winning both of her weekend matches at No. 1 singles. She also teamed up with Claudia Miranda Viera on an 8-2 victory over their No. 1 doubles counterparts from Sterling. Maier produced the lone triumph in the defeat handed down by the Braves.
Concordia won every match over Sterling with the exception of No. 3 singles. The Bulldogs notched singles wins from Maier, No. 2 Miranda Viera, No. 4 Katelinn Wurm, No. 5 Allison Marshall and No. 6 Angela Bell. Lindee Schultz also pitched in on a winning effort at No. 3 doubles along with Bell. Maier and Miranda Viera worked together at No. 1 while Marshall and Wagner paired up at No. 2.
The loss on Saturday interrupted a three-match win streak. During which, Concordia had captured wins over Bethel College (Kan.), Bethany College (Kan.) and Sterling. They lost only two matches in those team victories.
Up next is a spring getaway in Colorado. The journey will begin with the Bulldogs taking on NCAA Division II Metropolitan State University of Denver on Tuesday. First serve is set for 2 p.m. CST from Denver.
Bulldogs open spring break trip with win over NCAA D-II CSU-Pueblo
Mar. 6, 2019
PUEBLO, Colo. – The depth of the lineup for the Concordia University women’s tennis team was on display on Wednesday (March 6) as the Bulldogs opened up their spring break excursion within the state of Colorado. Concordia swept through doubles while on the way to a 4-3 win at NCAA Division II Colorado State University-Pueblo (member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference). Only one team was rewarded for the three doubles matches.
New head coach David DeSimone continues to get up to speed while assessing the roster of student-athletes he inherited. He liked what he saw on Wednesday as the Concordia women moved their record to 5-2 overall.
“I’ve been easy my way in and getting to know everyone, their personalities and styles of play,” DeSimone said. “So I can best assist them and coach them through matches. Early on especially, it’s been figuring out what works for them and how I can best communicate with them and help them get the most out of their games.”
By the standard NAIA rules, the Bulldogs would have been up 3-0 after doubles. Instead, Concordia led just 1-0 and needed to at least split singles in order to claim the win. The Bulldogs came through with triumphs at No. 1, 4 and 6. At the No. 1 spot, senior Marlene Maier outlasted her opponent in three sets after dropping the first set. Fellow senior Katelinn Wurm also emerged as a winner at No. 4 in a contest that was tight in the opening set.
In doubles, Maier teamed up with Claudia Miranda Viera at No. 1 while Kirsten Wagner paired with Allison Marshall at No. 2. Both combos picked up victories, winning by scores of 6-3 and 6-4, respectively. The Bulldogs were winners by forfeit at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles. The singles lineup also featured Miranda Viera at No. 2, Wagner at No. 3 and Marshall at No. 5.
“I really like the way our team competed,” DeSimone said. “It shows that we not only have strength up top, but pretty good depth throughout our lineup. All the matches were competitive. I was pleased with how we competed against some good opponents.”
The Bulldogs will stick around in Colorado to play two more matches on Thursday. The slate will feature Concordia against NCAA Division II foes: Southwest Minnesota State University (11 a.m. CT) and Colorado College (4 p.m. CT). The Bulldogs will then return home for the remainder of spring break.
Concordia tops second NCAA D-II opponent in as many days
Mar. 7, 2019
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A run of three matches in two days against NCAA Division II opponents is now complete for the Concordia University women’s tennis team. After struggling in an 8-1 loss to Southwest Minnesota State University in a contest that began Thursday morning (March 7), the Bulldogs picked themselves back up and won, 5-4, over Colorado College. Both matches took place at Burghart Tennis Courts in Colorado Springs.
Head coach David DeSimone’s squad also edged Colorado State University-Pueblo, 4-3, on Wednesday. Concordia is 6-3 overall.
“We came out a little bit flat in doubles and started out a little slow,” DeSimone said. “We did a better job coming out ready to play in singles, but by that time we were already down a little too much and didn’t have the momentum to carry us through. We turned that around nicely in the later match against Colorado College. We started out strong in doubles by taking two of the points and that gave us some energy going into singles.”
Senior standout Marlene Maier notched the lone win in Wednesday’s first match. She triumphed in No. 1 singles, 7-6 (5), 6-0. Katelinn Wurm put up a good fight at No. 3 singles. She fell in a third-set tiebreaker (6-2, 4-6, 10-6).
Maier and company then ended the trip on a positive note. In an evening tussle, Concordia won two of three doubles matches and then split singles to earn the team victory. Maier was again a winner at No. 1 singles. She outlasted her counterpart from the Tigers while improving her personal record to 7-1. Said DeSimone, “Her experience and level of play against high level opponents has been pretty beneficial. She helps push everyone else to greater success.”
Also in singles, Wurm at No. 3 and Angela Bell at No. 5 contributed victories. The lineup also included Kirsten Wagner at No. 2, Allison Marshall at No. 4 and Ansley Gates at No. 6. In doubles play, the Bulldog combos of Marshall and Wagner at No. 2 and Bell and Lindee Schultz at No. 3 came out on top.
Concordia is scheduled to have the next two weeks off from competition before returning to action on March 21 with a match at former GPAC rival Nebraska Wesleyan.
Concordia topples former GPAC rival
Mar. 21, 2019
LINCOLN, Neb. – A nice run through nonconference play continues for the Concordia University women’s tennis team, which handled former GPAC rival Nebraska Wesleyan University, 7-2, on Thursday (March 21). The clash was contested outdoors at the Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln, Neb. The Bulldogs won five singles and two doubles matches in a decisive victory.
This was the first action for head coach David DeSimone’s squad in exactly two weeks. Concordia (7-3) last competed in Colorado during spring break.
“The big takeaway for me was that our women were looking to be more aggressive and take control at the net in both singles and doubles,” DeSimone said. “We’ve talked about it a lot and worked on it in practice. To see it come together in a match situation is pretty beneficial. That’s something we’re going to have to keep building on as we work into the conference schedule. That’s what will set us apart from where we’re at now and where we want to be.”
The singles win streak has reached eight for senior Marlene Maier, who has been a force at the top of the Bulldog lineup. She took care of her opponent, 6-2, 6-0, on Thursday. Meanwhile, her teammates set the tone in doubles play. Junior Kirsten Wagner paired with sophomore Allison Marshall on a dominant 8-1 victory at No. 1 doubles. Concordia led 2-1 after doubles with the help of an 8-6 triumph by the duo of junior Lindee Schultz and sophomore Angela Bell at No. 3.
The Bulldogs then made it a fairly comfortable team win by getting singles wins from Maier, No. 3 Wagner, No. 4 Marshall, No. 5 Bell and No. 6 Ansley Gates. Bell was particularly impressive while breezing to a 6-0, 6-0, decision. All six singles matches were decided in two sets.
Concordia has played four matches in a row against NCAA competition. The Bulldogs are 4-1 in five contests this season versus NCAA foes. The Prairie Wolves (2-13) are in their third season as a full-fledged member of NCAA Division III.
Concordia is scheduled to open up conference play this Wednesday (March 27) by hosting Hastings (4-3, 0-0 GPAC) in a match set to get underway at 4 p.m. CT. The Broncos qualified for the national tournament last season.
Maier named GPAC Player of the Week
Mar. 27, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – The win streak continued last week for senior Marlene Maier, who has been impressive since transferring to Concordia. On Wednesday (March 27), she was rewarded by being named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Tennis Player of the Week. It’s Maier’s first award as a Bulldog.
Maier again held down the No. 1 spot in the singles lineup in last week’s 7-2 team victory at Nebraska Wesleyan University. In that match, Maier won in singles, 6-2, 6-0, over the Prairie Wolves’ Madi Hinshaw. A native of Uppsala, Sweden, and transfer from NCAA Division I Alcorn State University, Maier has won eight singles matches in a row and owns a 9-1 record this season.
Maier and the Bulldogs (7-3) are getting ready to host Hastings today (March 27) in their first GPAC match of the 2019 season. First serve is set for 4 p.m. CT from the Bulldog Tennis Courts.
Concordia pushes Hastings in GPAC opening loss
Mar. 28, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – A win over Hastings in the conference opener on Wednesday evening (March 27) would have made a big statement for the Concordia University women’s soccer team. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs came up a victory shy in a 5-4 home loss to the Broncos. The match was contested at the Bulldog Tennis Courts.
At the very least, the result is a sign of progress for the program, which has put together a lineup with strong depth. Head coach David DeSimone’s squad stands at 7-4 overall (0-1 GPAC).
This battle featured two of the league’s best players at the No. 1 singles position. In that showdown, Hastings senior Kelsey Brown got the best of reigning GPAC Player of the Week Marlene Maier, 6-2, 6-0. To be sure, there was only a slim margin separating a team win or loss. The Bulldogs made things interesting by getting singles victories at No. 4 by Kirsten Wagner, at No. 5 by Allison Marshall and at No. 6 by Angela Bell. Claudia Miranda Viera (4-6, 5-7) and Katelinn Wurm (2-6, 6-7) fell in competitive conflicts at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots, respectively.
Concordia had to claim four singles matches instead of the split it got after going down 2-1 following doubles. All three doubles contests were won decisively. The Broncos took the Nos. 1 and 2 matches, 8-3 and 8-2, respectively. The Bulldogs salvaged one win thanks to the 8-1 decision put forward by the duo of Bell and Lindee Schultz.
Hastings (5-3, 1-0 GPAC) narrowly escaped from Seward with the win. The Broncos have gone to the national tournament in back-to-back years (2017 and 2018) entering 2019.
The Bulldogs are scheduled to host Morningside for both men’s and women’s competition on Saturday. First serve is set for 12 p.m. CT. Due to potential precipitation this weekend, there is a chance the venue may be switched from the Bulldog Tennis Courts. Follow @cunebulldogs on Twitter for the latest updates.
Bulldogs bounce back with blanking of Morningside
Mar. 30, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – After missing out on an opportunity to make a statement on Wednesday, the Concordia University women’s tennis team rebounded on Saturday (March 30) by dominating GPAC rival Morningside, 9-0. The Bulldogs came out with positive energy in doubles while taking the courts inside the Walz Fieldhouse. Chilly temperatures and windy conditions moved the match indoors.
Head coach David DeSimone made it a focus to come out strong in doubles after Concordia dropped two of three doubles matches in the 5-4 loss to 2018 national qualifier Hastings. The Bulldogs are now 8-4 overall (1-1 GPAC). The Mustangs slipped to 3-8 (0-1 GPAC).
“We really wanted to start off focusing on doubles today,” DeSimone said. “That was something we didn’t do last match against Hastings. We came out up 3-0 with a lot of good energy. We worked on playing higher percentage tennis in doubles and ended up with good results. Then we carried it out through singles.”
One trend continued on Saturday with Concordia being particularly dominant in the back half of the lineup. In doubles, the Nos. 2 and 3 groups, made up of sophomore Allison Marshall and junior Kirsten Wagner and sophomore Angela Bell and junior Lindee Schultz, respectively, both won by 8-2 scores. At the No. 1 spot, seniors Marlene Maier and Katelinn Wurm held off Abby Fitzgerald and Hanna Schoning, 8-5.
It was a great response to the Wednesday loss, which hurt because the Bulldogs realized how close they are to the team that won the GPAC tournament last year.
“I think we did really well after a tough loss,” Maier said. “Just getting back mentally was the big turnaround on this match. Everyone had a really good mental state and everyone got the wins.”
After having her eight-match singles win streak snapped against Hastings, Maier started what she hopes to be another extended streak. She won handily at No. 1 singles, 6-2, 6-0, over Fitzgerald. The rest of the team fell in line with No. 2 Claudia Miranda Viera, No. 3 Wurm, No. 4 Wagner, No. 5 Marshall and No. 6 Bell each claiming wins. Miranda Viera bounced back after dropping the first set and triumphed in a tiebreaker, 3-6, 6-2 (10-6).
With five matches to go in conference play, Concordia has reason to believe it can be a factor in the conference race. The depth of the lineup has been a strength for the Bulldogs.
“I’m happy with where we’re at right now,” DeSimone said. “The Hastings match was a good one. It was close. We played and competed pretty well on all nine courts. We have things we can improve upon, but this match shows we’re a tough team and ready to compete at a high level.”
Concordia will be back at home to host Doane (1-7, 0-0 GPAC) in a 4 p.m. CT match on Wednesday. If weather allows, the contest will be played outside on the Bulldog Tennis Courts.
Bulldogs record second 9-0 GPAC win in a row
Apr. 4, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – The past two matches, the Concordia University women’s tennis team has looked like one out to prove that it is one of the GPAC’s top teams. Once again, the Bulldogs displayed the depth of their lineup by routing visiting Doane, 9-0, out on the Bulldog Tennis Courts on Thursday evening (April 4). It was the second 9-0 conference win in a row for Concordia.
Coaches David DeSimone and Javier Moreno continue to guide the Bulldog women’s squad, which is now 9-4 overall and 2-1 within the GPAC.
“We started off really strong in doubles. All three came out and played pretty well,” DeSimone said. “We did a lot of things very well, taking care of the middle of the court and playing high percentage tennis. They executed a lot of things we have been working on recently and carried that into singles. We dominated in most of those spots today and showed good energy.”
Concordia surrendered only five games to the Tigers (1-8, 0-1 GPAC) during doubles action. The Bulldogs took a commanding lead by earning victories by scores of 8-3 at No. 1 (senior Marlene Maier/sophomore Claudia Miranda Viera), 8-1 at No. 2 (sophomore Allison Marshall/junior Kirsten Wagner) and 8-1 at No. 3 (sophomore Angela Bell/junior Lindee Schultz).
In singles, the Concordia lineup featured Maier at No. 1, Miranda Viera at No. 2, Wagner at No. 3, Marshall at No. 4, Bell at No. 5 and Gates at No. 6. Maier breezed to a 6-0, 6-0, triumph at the top of the lineup. A fierce competition took place at the No. 3 position, where Wagner shook off a defeat in the first set and eventually won the tiebreaker (6-7, 6-4, 15-13). The rest of the matches were less dramatic in another confidence builder for the Bulldogs.
“We were a little down after the Hastings match, but we were able to bounce back and really play good tennis the last couple meets,” DeSimone said. “We’ll keep building on that and keep moving forward so that we can be playing our best tennis at the GPAC tournament.”
The Bulldogs will get right back at it on Saturday with a conference match at Northwestern (4-4, 1-0 GPAC). First serve is set for 2 p.m. CT from Orange City, Iowa.
Concordia takes third straight shutout of GPAC foe
Apr. 6, 2019
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – A Saturday afternoon (April 6) matchup with Northwestern marked the third-straight dominant outing within GPAC play for the Concordia University women’s tennis team. The Bulldogs dropped just one set all day and cruised to a 9-0 victory in Orange City, Iowa. Concordia defeated both Morningside and Doane by the same score.
Coaches David DeSimone and Javier Moreno have presided over a squad that has won four of its last five matches. The Bulldogs are now 10-4 overall and 3-1 in conference action.
At the top of the lineup, senior Marlene Maier moved to 12-2 this season in singles (6-0, 6-1 victory) and everyone else fell in line. The toughest battle came at No. 3 singles, where junior Kirsten Wagner shook off a loss in the first set and eventually won the tiebreaker. Concordia continues to get impressive results in the back half of the lineup with sophomores Allison Marshall (6-2, 6-2), Angela Bell (6-2, 6-2) and Ansley Gates (6-1, 6-0) all claiming wins. Claudia Miranda Viera (6-4, 6-4) was also a winner at the No. 2 spot.
The play in singles was a continuation from what occurred in doubles. The combos of Maier and Miranda Viera at No. 1, Marshall and Wagner at No. 2 and Bell and junior Lindee Schultz at No. 3 all came out on top. It was a 9-8 (2) squeaker at No. 2 and a close 8-6 conflict at No. 1. On the other hand, the No. 3 doubles match ended in a lopsided 8-1 final score.
The Bulldogs will be in Fremont on Wednesday for a 4 p.m. CT first serve against Midland (2-9, 1-1 GPAC). The Warriors shared the GPAC regular season title last season with Hastings.
Run of GPAC dominance continues at Midland
Apr. 9, 2019
FREMONT, Neb. – The Concordia University women’s tennis team continued its rampage through conference play by pouring it on the program that ended its season in the GPAC semifinals in 2018. The Bulldogs earned a measure of revenge on Tuesday (April 9) by knocking off Midland, 7-2, on its home courts at Fremont High School. The Bulldogs won five of six in singles and two of three in doubles.
A run at a GPAC title is still possible for a team guided by coaches David DeSimone and Javier Moreno. A four-match GPAC win streak puts Concordia at 11-4 overall and 4-1 in the GPAC.
“There were a lot of positives,” DeSimone said. “The bottom half of our lineup really shows that we’re deep and have a lot of solid players on our roster. It was nice to see that from the bottom half of the lineup. There was a lot of good energy and the entire team played well together and lifted each other up.”
The Bulldogs came up short at No. 1 doubles, but the result failed to stop this team’s roll. Wins came at No. 2 doubles from the duo of sophomore Allison Marshall and junior Kirsten Wagner, 8-4, and at No. 3 doubles from the combo of sophomore Angela Bell and junior Lindee Schultz, 8-3.
In singles, Concordia came close to a sweep with the only defeat occurring in a tiebreaker at the No. 3 spot. On the plus side, wins were delivered by senior Marlene Maier at No. 1, sophomore Claudia Miranda Viera at No. 2, Wagner at No. 4, Marshall at No. 5 and Bell at No. 6. Maier is now 13-2 this season in singles play.
Since a narrow 5-4 loss to Hastings on March 27, the Bulldogs have dominated, defeating Morningside, Doane, Northwestern and Midland by a combined score of 34-2. The latest victim shared the GPAC regular season title last season.
The Bulldogs will be back on campus on Friday for their home finale. It will be senior day when Mount Marty (1-7, 0-4 GPAC) visits Seward. First serve is slated for 4 p.m. CT when action will get underway on the outdoor courts. Should the weather not cooperate, the match will be moved inside to the Fieldhouse.
Bell reels in GPAC weekly award
Apr. 10, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – A reliable player near the back of the lineup, junior Angela Bell has been rewarded for her recent run of success. On Wednesday (April 10), the conference named Bell the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Tennis Player of the Week. She is the second Bulldog women’s tennis player to pick this honor in 2019. Senior Marlene Maier garnered the same award on March 27.
Taking into account Tuesday’s action at Midland, Bell now owns active streaks of seven victories in a row in both singles and doubles. She is the GPAC Player of the Week courtesy of last week’s wins over her counterparts from Doane and Northwestern at No. 5 singles. She also teamed up with junior Lindee Schultz on a pair of doubles triumphs last week (both by 8-1 scores).
A native of Peoria, Ariz., Bell is a perfect 5-0 in GPAC singles and doubles matches this season. Overall, she is 10-2 in singles (second most wins on the team) and 8-2 in doubles. With the help of Bell, Concordia has won four consecutive conference matches to move to 11-4 overall and to 4-1 inside the GPAC.
Conference action will continue on Friday when Bell and company host Mount Marty. First serve is set for 4 p.m. CT.
GPAC win streak stretches to five
Apr. 12, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – A string of conference dominance continued on Friday evening (April 12) for the Concordia University women’s tennis team, which held its final home match of the 2019 season. The Bulldogs remain mathematically alive for a conference regular season title after dispatching of Mount Marty, 8-1, in their latest outing. It was senior night for the program.
Coaches David DeSimone and Javier Moreno have presided over a team that has won five GPAC matches in a row to improve to 12-4 overall and to 5-1 in conference play.
“It’s been pretty exciting,” DeSimone said. “For me coming in new this year, I haven’t experienced all that those seniors have. But I know it’s been an exciting year for them and they’ve really enjoyed being part of this team and the success they’ve had so far. Hopefully they can continue to build on that. Our sights are set on doing well at the conference tournament.”
It was a positive sendoff for the two seniors: Marlene Maier and Katelinn Wurm. A native of Bradenton, Fla., Wurm has been a four-year contributor to the program. After dropping the first set of her match at No. 3 singles, Wurm responded with a win by a 2-6, 6-1 (10-4) decision. Wurm was one of five Concordia singles winners for a team on a roll.
The five GPAC wins equals a program high during Wurm’s four seasons at Concordia. This team is playing at a higher level than any in several years of Bulldog women’s tennis.
“I think we all are on the same page this year,” Wurm said. “We’ve really understood that each and every one of us want to get those wins. We’re working towards one goal. The coaching that we’ve had has helped tremendously. They want what we want. We’ve just been practicing for that every day.”
Maier now holds 14-2 season singles record after cruising to an 8-1 win at the No. 1 spot. This will be her one and only season as a Bulldog after transferring from NCAA Division I Alcorn State University. Other Concordia singles winners on Friday included sophomores Claudia Miranda Viera at No. 2, Allison Marshall at No. 4 and Ansley Gates at No. 6 (by forfeit).
The Lancers also forfeited the No. 3 doubles match. In contested action, the combos of Maier and Miranda Viera took an 8-4 decision at No. 1 and Marshall and junior Kirsten Wagner breezed to an 8-1 triumph at No. 2.
The lone GPAC loss for the Bulldogs remains the 5-4 squeaker to first place Hastings (4-0 GPAC) that could have easily swung the other way. In other words, Concordia is right there with the top teams in the league.
“The potential is so high,” Wurm said. “This team is amazing. This team is working for such a big goal. We’re headed the right way.”
The conference season is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday (April 16) with a match at College of Saint Mary (5-6, 2-1 GPAC). First serve is slated for 4 p.m. CT in Omaha, Neb.
Five-match win streak snapped at CSM
Apr. 16, 2019
OMAHA, Neb. – The Concordia University women’s tennis team entered play on Tuesday (April 16) still mathematically alive for a GPAC regular season title. Those chances fell by the wayside in Omaha, Neb., where College of Saint Mary dealt the Bulldogs a 6-3 defeat. The match marked the GPAC regular season finale for Concordia.
Coached by David DeSimone and Javier Moreno, the Bulldogs will enter the conference tournament next week as the league’s No. 3 seed. They are now 12-5 overall (5-2 GPAC).
“Doubles play was the difference,” DeSimone said. “We did not come out with as much energy as we needed to compete at that level with College of Saint Mary. Getting down 3-0 was too much to overcome. In some ways, this might be what we needed – a little wakeup call. I think we’re on the right track, but we still have work to do to be able to compete at the top of the GPAC.”
Concordia entered the evening coming off of five consecutive conference wins, all by lopsided scores. Perhaps that made it a little overconfident in its latest outing. The Flames (8-6, 5-1 GPAC) won the first six matches to go final on Tuesday while quickly clinching the team victory. The Bulldogs eventually responded by triumphing in three singles battles.
At No. 1 singles, senior Marlene Maier ran her season record to 15-2 (6-1 GPAC), though it was no breeze. She held off Christina Ternent, 7-6 (2), 6-3, to push her personal singles win streak to six. At the Nos. 4 and 5 singles spots, junior Kirsten Wagner and sophomore Allison Marshall also extended winning streaks. Marshall has won eight consecutive singles matches and Wagner has won seven in a row.
Although the GPAC regular season schedule is in the books, the Bulldogs have one more match to look forward to before beginning postseason action. Concordia is slated to be at Baker University (Kan.) on Monday (April 22) for a 3 p.m. CT first serve in Baldwin City. The conference tournament will take place April 26-27 at Fremont High School.
It’s a good time for the Bulldogs to regroup. Their five-match run of dominance prior to Tuesday would seem to indicate that they are a threat in the postseason. Concordia narrowly lost, 5-4, to GPAC leader Hastings back on March 27.
Bulldogs topple Baker, equal school wins record
Apr. 22, 2019
BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – In its first action since a 6-3 loss at College of Saint Mary, the Concordia University women’s tennis team rebounded by defeating Baker University, 7-2, on Monday (April 22) afternoon in Baldwin City, Kan. The Bulldogs took all three doubles and four of six singles matches in another convincing win.
Coaches David DeSimone and Javier Moreno have guided Concordia to a 13-5 (5-2 GPAC) overall mark at the close of the regular season. The 13 victories equal a program single-season standard shared by the 2018 team. The Bulldogs have won six of their last seven matches.
Concordia was well on its way to victory by the end of doubles play, which saw wins earned by the combos of senior Marlene Maier and sophomore Claudia Miranda Viera at No. 1, 8-4, sophomore Allison Marshall and junior Kirsten Wagner at No. 2, 8-6, and juniors Angela Bell and Lindee Schultz at No. 3, 8-4. The Bulldogs are now an impressive 37-17 as a team in doubles action this season.
It's been quite a one and only season at Concordia for Maier, who has played at No. 1 in all 18 matches and now owns a 16-2 singles record. Maier defeated Baker’s Kate Taylor-Doran, 6-1, 6-3, at the top of the lineup. The rest of the Bulldog singles triumphs came from the bottom half of the lineup: No. 4 Wagner, No. 5 Marshall and No. 6 Ansley Gates. None of the battles went to a tiebreaker, although Gates and Josephine Moore engaged in a 7-5, 7-5, competition.
The result puts the Wildcats (Heart of America Athletic Conference) at 5-9 overall. On the other side, Concordia’s only two defeats over the past 10 matches came at the hands of the first and second place teams in the GPAC. The Bulldogs dropped a tight 5-4 decision to regular season champion Hastings.
Up next are the GPAC Championships this Friday and Saturday at Fremont High School in Fremont, Neb. Unofficially, the Bulldogs will be the No. 3 seed in the six-team bracket that features a single-elimination format. The top two seeds receive byes into the semifinals.
GPAC women's tennis postseason preview
Apr. 25, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – By the end of the regular season, the Concordia University women’s tennis team had clearly proven itself as a top three team in the GPAC. If the Bulldogs are at their best, they can achieve just about anything this weekend at the GPAC tournament. At 5-2 in conference play, Concordia is the No. 3 seed in the bracket.
Coaches David DeSimone and Javier Moreno will lead the Bulldogs into Friday’s 11:30 a.m. CT quarterfinal matchup with sixth-seeded Midland. The winner will move on and play in the semifinals at 4:30 p.m. (complete schedule below).
Concordia would like to duplicate the result it got on April 9 when it won at Midland, 7-2, courtesy of two doubles triumphs and five singles victories in Fremont. Other than losses to top seeds Hastings and College of Saint Mary, the Bulldogs have been dominant against GPAC opponents. Sophomore Allison Marshall (7-0) and junior Kirsten Wagner (6-0) posted perfect singles records against league foes. Meanwhile, Marlene Maier was 6-1 in GPAC singles matches at the No. 1 spot. Maier’s 16 overall singles wins are believed to be a program record. As a team, Concordia went a combined 34-8 in singles and 15-6 in doubles in conference battles.
The Bulldogs have reached the GPAC tournament semifinals in each of the previous three seasons, but they have not advanced to the championship match since 2011. In that instance, Concordia was beaten, 5-0, in the title clash by Nebraska Wesleyan. The top two seeds above the Bulldogs in this 2019 bracket are No. 1 Hastings and No. 2 College of Saint Mary.
The conference tournament champion earns an automatic bid to the 2019 NAIA Tennis National Championships, which will take place May 14-18 in Mobile, Ala.
2019 GPAC Women’s Tennis Tournament
Friday, April 26 – Quarterfinals
No. 4 Morningside vs. No. 5 Northwestern, 11:30 a.m.
No. 3 Concordia vs. No. 6 Midland, 11:30 a.m.
Friday, April 26 – Semifinals
No. 1 Hastings vs. No. 4/5 winner, 4:30 p.m.
No. 2 College of Saint Mary vs. No. 3/6 winner, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 27 – Championship
10 a.m.
Bulldogs earn berth in GPAC title match for first time since 2011
Apr. 26, 2019
FREMONT, Neb. – The dream of earning a trip to the national tournament remains alive for the Concordia University women’s tennis team. The program will make its first appearance in the GPAC postseason championship match for the first time since 2011. The third-seeded Bulldogs blazed their way to the final by defeating sixth-seeded Midland, 5-0, and then second-seeded College of Saint Mary, 5-3, in Fremont, Neb., on Friday (April 26).
With the semifinal victory over the Flames, the squad coached by David DeSimone and Javier Moreno avenged a 6-3 loss to College of Saint Mary in the conference regular season finale. At 15-5 overall, the 2019 Bulldogs have established a new program standard for most wins in a season.
“Our women played really well against Midland this morning,” DeSimone said. “We got a great start going up 2-1 after doubles against College of Saint Mary. We were missing that in the regular season. There were a lot of close and competitive matches in singles. We battled very well. Everyone supported each other and we had a lot of positive energy. We’re all excited for the opportunity to continue our season tomorrow.”
In the regular season meeting with the Flames (9-7), Concordia gave itself little hope when it dropped all three doubles matches. This time around, the Bulldogs came out focused and picked up doubles wins at No. 1 from senior Marlene Maier and sophomore Claudia Miranda Viera, 8-5, and at No. 2 from junior Kirsten Wagner and sophomore Allison Marshall, 8-3.
In singles, Maier moved her personal record to 17-2 this season by toppling Christina Ternet, 6-2, 6-2, at the No. 1 spot. Concordia went on to clinch the team victory by capturing singles wins from Wagner at No. 3 and from junior Angela Bell at No. 6.
In the quarterfinals, the Bulldogs breezed past the Warriors (3-14) by sweeping them away in doubles. The back part of the lineup then ended the match when Marshall at No. 5 and sophomore Ansley Gates at No. 6 prevailed over their counterparts.
Now it’s on to the championship match. An automatic berth in the national championships and a trip to Mobile, Ala., will be on the line on Saturday when Concordia meets top seed and GPAC regular season champion Hastings (12-4) at 1 p.m. CT at the Fremont YMCA. In the regular season matchup, the Broncos nipped the Bulldogs, 5-4. Concordia is aiming for its first ever GPAC championship in women’s tennis.
Bulldogs go down fighting in pulse pounder
Apr. 28, 2019
FREMONT, Neb. – Head coach David DeSimone called this the most exciting match he’s been part of in his career as a player and young coach. With a chance to break new ground in regards to program history, the Concordia University women’s tennis team took GPAC regular season champion Hastings all the way to the wire on Saturday (April 27). The Broncos held off the Bulldogs, 5-4, in the conference postseason championship played at the YMCA in Fremont, Neb.
A day earlier, DeSimone’s squad picked up GPAC tournament wins over Midland and College of Saint Mary to set up the matchup with top-seeded Hastings. Concordia finished the 2019 campaign at 15-6 overall while breaking the school record for number of wins in a season.
“Our women competed really well today,” DeSimone said. “There was a lot of really good stuff going on out there on the court – a lot of encouragement from each other. We’ve been building towards that throughout the whole season. It was a really fun atmosphere and environment. I wouldn’t have it any other way than to have the match end with those two battling it out at No. 1.”
‘Those two’ were Marlene Maier of Concordia and Kelsey Brown of Hastings, two of the GPAC’s top players. The team scored was knotted 4-4 with Maier and Brown the only combatants left on the court. Owner of 17 singles wins this season, Maier got edged, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, in a classic tilt. Without Maier, the Bulldogs would not have been in this position.
The No. 5 singles clash also went to a third set. Concordia had to have it trailing 4-3 at the time. At that spot, Bulldog sophomore Allison Marshall rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third set for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win. Concordia cleaned up in the back half of the lineup, also getting wins from juniors Kirsten Wagner at No. 4 and Angela Bell at No. 6. At the No. 2 position, sophomore Claudia Miranda Viera fell in three sets to her Bronco counterpart.
Concordia had a bit of a hole to dig out of after dropping two of three doubles matches. The combo of Bell and junior Lindee Schultz captured an 8-1 win at No. 3 doubles to keep the Bulldogs close. Hastings won at No. 1, 8-4, and at No. 2, 8-1.
At stake in this match was not only a GPAC tournament championship, but also an automatic berth in the national championships held in Mobile, Ala. This season proved that Concordia is not all that far off from a journey to Alabama.
Said DeSimone, “I’m excited about continuing to build and grow the relationships we’ve been making as a team. It’s brought us closer together. We made a lot of great progress this year.”
2019 squad sets standard for future success
May. 2, 2019
The 2019 Concordia University women’s tennis team set a new standard for a program still seeking its first ever trip to the NAIA national championships. A berth to nationals no longer seems so far out of reach after what this group of Bulldogs accomplished this spring. The only discontentment at this stage is knowing just how close they came to a trip to Mobile, Alabama.
It was an unforgettable ride for a squad with some unique dynamics. New head coach David DeSimone jumped on board after the season had already started and dove into the role alongside graduate assistants Javier Moreno and Nikita Kostikov.
DeSimone thoroughly enjoyed what he saw from this team during the GPAC tournament run. Said DeSimone after the GPAC championship match defeat, “There was a lot of really good stuff going on out there on the court – a lot of encouragement from each other. We’ve been building towards that throughout the whole season. It was a really fun atmosphere and environment. I wouldn’t have it any other way than to have the match end with those two (Marlene Maier and Kelsey Brown) battling it out at No. 1.”
With GPAC postseason victories over Midland and College of Saint Mary, the 2019 Concordia women’s tennis team broke the program record for wins in a season with a 15-6 overall mark. Somehow all of the pieces came together. Maier transferred in from NCAA Division I Alcorn State University and immediately provided a steadying force at the top of the lineup. From top to bottom, the Bulldogs may have had the most balanced lineup of any squad in the GPAC.
Maier claimed a program record 17 singles wins at the No. 1 spot and everyone else seemed to fall in line. Concordia showed resilience in bouncing back from early season defeats and carried on through a campaign that included triumphs over opponents from the NAIA and NCAA Division II and III levels. The most satisfying of all those victories had to be the 5-3 conference semifinal decision over College of Saint Mary, which avenged a regular season loss.
Said junior Kirsten Wagner, “I am so proud to be a part of this team and this record-breaking season that I can barely explain it. It's my third year here so seeing the impact past players have had on the team along with the influence of Coach Desimone and GA Javy, I am not at all surprised by what we were able to accomplish. What makes me the most proud is the way we were able to brush off some of our tough losses and use that to get better during practice and to really push to be the best we could be. I love my team, and I couldn't imagine playing anywhere else.”
Wagner notched a win at No. 4 singles in the championship match with GPAC regular season champion Hastings, which entered the postseason having made trips to nationals in 2017 and 2018. What played out inside the YMCA in Fremont, Neb., was the most intense competition most Bulldog players had ever been part of. With the team score tied, 4-4, it all came down to Maier at No. 1. She was edged in a fiercely competitive three-set battle.
“The GPAC championship match was one of the most intense ones I’ve experienced,” Maier said. “Going down 1-2 in doubles was tough, but we were still so close to winning by coming back in singles. Having several of the singles matches going to a third set proves that the match could have gone either way, and it wasn’t decided until the very last point. It is difficult handling such a close loss, but in the end I am so proud of the entire team for the efforts and the result we ended up with.”
While Maier typically cleaned up at the No. 1 singles spot this season, Concordia often blitzed its opponents in the back half of the lineup. With the fine work of the likes of Wagner, junior Angela Bell and sophomore Allison Marshall, the Bulldogs produced season win totals of 14 at No. 4, 16 at No. 5 and 16 at No. 6.
A native of Woodbury, Minn., Marshall showed her mettle by fighting back from a 4-1 deficit in the third set of her match against Hastings. Her grit in the GPAC final was representative of a team that was determined not to let its season end.
“Even though I was down 4-1, I was determined to do everything I could to stay in that match and win it,” Marshall said. “I just kept getting one more ball back and put pressure on her to end the point. I felt like if I could keep getting the ball back, eventually I would win the point and that started happening. I was winning more and more points and continued to come back. Once I got to 4-4, I felt like the momentum was mine and I just needed to finish it. Fortunately, I was able to do just that.”
It's difficult to describe just what emotions were felt as the championship match raged on. DeSimone called it the most exciting match he’s ever been part of as either a young coach or collegiate player himself. Wagner did her best to capture what those emotions were like.
“Once I got off the court from my singles is when the emotions really started hitting me hard,” Wagner said. “It was so nerve-wracking to watch my teammates playing their matches, especially those matches that were in third sets. I remember just sitting there, hand over my mouth, just going crazy, I couldn't sit still. Every point was giving me a heart attack.”
Eventually, the heartache of such a close championship defeat will give way to the pride of knowing what was accomplished and the work it took to get there. Added Maier, “I am incredibly proud to be a part of this team.”
DeSimone is looking forward to a full offseason now to work with a team with real momentum, coming off its first GPAC championship match appearance since 2011. The program will graduate Maier and Katelinn Wurm, but will welcome back aforementioned lineup regulars in Bell, Marshall and Wagner, as well as Claudia Miranda Viera, who played at No. 2 singles. The seniors will not be easily replaced, but this season changed the game. Winning a GPAC title is no longer an unrealistic goal.
Says Marshall, “I feel like we have unfinished business. We wanted to make it to nationals and came one step short of that. I feel like next year we will still have a solid team and a chance to make it to nationals.”
DeSimone nets GPAC Coach of the Year award; entire lineup honored
May. 6, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – David DeSimone has only been on the job since February yet has already picked up the first major honor of his young coaching career. On Monday (May 6), the conference named DeSimone the 2019 Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year. In addition, the entire Concordia lineup collected all-conference recognition as the postseason honors rolled in. The GPAC all-conference teams are separated by singles and doubles.
On the singles All-GPAC team, senior Marlene Maier (Uppsala, Sweden), sophomore Claudia Miranda Viera (Madrid, Spain), junior Kirsten Wagner (York, Neb.), sophomore Allison Marshall (Woodbury, Minn.) and junior Angela Bell (Peoria, Ariz.) each represented the Bulldogs. Senior Katelinn Wurm (Bradenton, Fla.) was tabbed honorable mention all-conference in singles. In doubles, the duo of Maier and Miranda Viera landed on the All-GPAC team. The combos of Marshall and Wagner and Bell and junior Lindee Schultz (Hastings, Neb.) were honorable mention selections.
A transfer from Alcorn State University, Maier made an immense impact in her one and only season at Concordia. She went 17-3 in singles (6-1 GPAC) while starring at the top of the lineup. She was named the GPAC Player of the Week on March 27. Two of Maier’s three defeats came against Hastings’ Kelsey Brown, the GPAC Player of the Year. Maier and Brown battled into three sets in the GPAC tournament championship match. Maier also went 11-9 in doubles (4-3 vs. the GPAC).
Marshall (7-0) and Wagner (6-0) put together perfect singles records versus conference opponents. Wagner was honored for her work at No. 4 singles while Marshall played at No. 5. Bell, who went 12-3 overall in singles, posted a 5-1 GPAC mark, and competed mostly at the No. 6 spot. The tandem of Maier and Miranda Viera collaborated on a 3-1 record against conference opponents.
DeSimone jumped into the fray this season while working with graduate assistants Nikita Kostikov and Javier Moreno. The result was a 15-6 overall record that set a new program standard for wins in a single season. The 2019 squad also was the program’s first to reach the GPAC championship match since 2011.
Schultz named NAIA Scholar-Athlete
May. 18, 2019
SEWARD, Neb. – In representation of the GPAC tournament runner up Concordia University women’s tennis team, junior Lindee Schultz picked up 2019 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors, as announced by the NAIA on Saturday (May 18). Schultz is a first time Scholar-Athlete. The Hastings, Neb., native is a biology major on a pre-physical therapy track.
In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended two full years as a non-transfer or one full year as a transfer. A total of 155 women’s tennis student-athletes across the nation were named 2019 Scholar-Athletes by the NAIA.
Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 1,433 and counting. The Bulldogs have been a regular national leader for both scholar-athletes and scholar-teams and are coming off a 2017-18 academic year that resulted in 77 more scholar-athletes and 20 scholar-teams (third most in the nation). Also in 2017-18, seven Bulldog student-athletes garnered both CoSIDA Academic All-District and CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades.