2016 Season
8-14 overall | 5-3 GPAC | Season Stats
2016 Roster
SEASON PREVIEW: youth movement infuses Concordia tennis with talent
At a glance
MEN
Head coach: Joel Reckewey (2nd year)
2015 record: 3-10, 1-4 GPAC (5th)
Key returners: Patricio Esquivel (Jr.); Javier Moreno (Jr.); Philip Yox (Jr.)
Key losses: Daniel Apacible; Brendan Buchanan; Jonathan Heckman; Jonathan Douglas
At a glance
WOMEN
Head coach: Joel Reckewey (2nd year)
2015 record: 5-11 overall, 4-3 GPAC (4th)
Key returners: Hannah Boe (So.); Alison Ebel (So.); Annie Horn (So.); Amanda vonSeggern (So.)
Key losses: Grace Hollenbeck; Elyse Kohl; Emily Meisinger
2015 GPAC All-Conference: Grace Hollenbeck (doubles); Elyse Kohl (doubles honorable mention); Emily Meisinger (singles honorable mention, doubles honorable mention)
Season Outlook
Head coach Joel Reckewey will bring new-look squads to the court in his second season at the helm of the program. Of the 22 Concordia men’s and women’s tennis players, 13 are new to the institution in 2015-16. The infusion of talent should provide a boost for programs that finished fourth (women) and fifth (men), respectively, in the conference last season.
This past offseason provided Reckewey, a former University of Nebraska letterwinner, his first chance to really dive head first into recruiting.
“I really enjoy the recruiting aspect,” Reckewey said. “It’s one of my favorite parts of the role – getting to meet people and getting to search out those athletes that will be a good fit for our program. I’m impressed with our recruits. We’re trying to build a high-level tennis program and be the best that we can be.”
The women suffer key losses with the graduation of Grace Hollenbeck and Elyse Kohl, who helped the Bulldogs to a 4-3 conference record in 2015. On the flip side, they return a strong group of sophomores led by Annie Horn, who spent nearly all of her freshman season at the No. 1 singles spot. Horn did her best work when pairing with Hollenbeck at No. 1 doubles (9-6 record).
Reckewey thinks another step forward is in order for Horn.
“I’m really excited for Annie’s opportunity,” Reckewey said. “I know that she’s been working really hard and that she’s excited. She’s in that top position again. That’s a lot of responsibility but she’s been a good role model and she’s helped pave the way for herself to do really well.”
Fellow sophomore Alison Ebel joins Horn as the two most experienced players on the roster. Ebel played in 14 singles matches and five doubles matches as a freshman in 2015. Other sophomores in Hannah Boe and Amanda vonSeggern will factor into the lineup.
Then there’s the large group of freshmen headed by Katelinn Wurm of Bradenton, Fla. Wurm is likely to play No. 2 behind Horn in the singles lineup. Wurm says Reckewey has helped her improve her game immensely since she arrived at Concordia this past fall.
“I didn’t notice a big transition just coming to college, but tennis-wise it was a big one,” Wurm said. “From playing in high school, we didn’t do as much as we do in college. I expected that. We didn’t exercise and do all that like we do here. I look at my play now and it’s 10 times better than I’ve ever played before. That was a big transition. I’ve learned so much in a short amount of time.”
Among the rookies, several others have the opportunity to see court time, including three Colorado natives in Anna Kenney (Sterling, Colo.), Hailey Lemos (Windsor, Colo.) and Kayla Smock (Sterling, Colo.). There are still plenty of unknowns, but Wurm says she’s noticed big gains over the past several months.
“It’s went up a lot,” Wurm said of the level of play in practice. “I remember the first practice when Coach goes, ‘For a few weeks we’re just going to be running. We’re not picking up a racket.’ To be honest, I never ran before in my life. I never did drills or anything. Going into these practices now second semester and getting to the point of matches, it’s a lot easier now. The level of play, the level of everything has gone up.”
On the men’s side, a quiet confidence is brewing. With the return of Morelia, Mexico, natives Javier Moreno and Patricio Esquivel along with reinforcements added in the offseason, the Bulldogs believe they will be much more competitive within the conference. Freshman Willy (Guillermo) Pardos of Pamplona, Spain, has risen to the No. 1 singles position while impressing Reckewey all offseason.
Pardos heads a list of seven freshmen. Another international recruit, Thomas Greeff of Pretoria, South Africa, has a shot to claim a spot in the top half of the singles lineup. He stands at 6-foot-4, just as freshman Gabe Poling of Chillicothe, Mo, does. Their additions have strengthened the entire lineup.
“We’ve brought in some very talented players,” Reckewey said. “Wily Pardos is a good player from Spain and we also have another guy, Thomas Greeff, from South Africa. We have some internationals coming in and a couple more local kids that are really going to have an opportunity to shine and show their stuff on the court. I think we’re going to be a stronger team because of it.”
Pardos, who is now fulfilling a dream of his in playing collegiate tennis in the United States, has gotten used to his new surroundings and has leaned upon the guidance of Esquivel, Moreno and junior Philip Yox – the team’s only three holdovers from 2015. That trio has helped bring along the large group of rookies.
“It’s a nice feeling because it would be really different if I was the only freshman on the team,” Pardos said. “It’s really worked out well. They are in the same situation. They didn’t know anyone coming in. The three upperclassmen – Javier, Patricio and Philip – have been great. They’ve talked about the previous seasons and what to expect. They’ve been really welcoming.”
Moreno and Esquivel appear set at the Nos. 2 and 4 singles positions, respectively. They were part of a squad that experienced rebuilding efforts in 2015 and now have two years of extensive experience. They should benefit from greater stability for a program that has had the same head coach for consecutive seasons for the first time since 2011-12.
While this year’s rosters are unusually youthful, Reckewey likes the direction things are moving.
“We have a lot of opportunity to improve,” Reckewey said. “We were kind of middle of the pack with both of those teams. I’m really confident about our teams this year. I think we have a lot of talent. We have hard-working players with positive attitudes. If we can come together we will have the opportunity to move up and I’d like to see us do that.”
Pardos isn’t yet familiar with the competition he’ll see in the GPAC, but then again, that same competition won’t know what to expect from Concordia. That could come as an advantage for the Bulldogs.
“Without any doubt our goal is to win the conference and go to nationals,” Pardos said. “I’m really motivated to do that and the team is pumped about it. I think we can make it happen. I don’t know the conference. I don’t know the level of the other teams. I do know we have options. They don’t know us because we are so new. I think we can do big things.”
Both Bulldog tennis teams will host Grand View University (Iowa) inside the Fieldhouse at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
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MEN
WOMEN
Women's tennis drops first spring match to Grand View
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team opened its spring slate on Saturday. The Bulldogs faced Grand View University inside the Walz Fieldhouse and were defeated 6-3. Concordia is now 0-2 on the season while the Vikings improve to 3-1.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “It was good to get out there and take the court. I was pretty impressed with the women’s place, it was unfortunate we lost. The match was really competitive, especially the doubles.”
The number three doubles team of Hannah Boe and Amanda von Seggern was the only winning team for Concordia in the doubles matches. The duo defeated their opponents, 9-8, 7-3. The Vikings led 3-1 going into the singles matches.
Two Bulldogs were victorious in singles. Boe defeated Hannah Walljasper of Grand View, 6-3, 6-2. In an 8-3 triumph, Kayla Smock won over Alyssa Stanczak.
“I’m pretty impressed with Hannah,” Reckewey said. “She’s in her sophomore year now so she has some experience…she had a couple wins and it shows that she’s a good role model. The other girls can look at her performance and see how she really fights and never gives up.”
The Bulldogs will take a break short of two weeks before they are back in action. On Feb. 5, Concordia will travel to Liberty Missouri to take on William Jewell College at 11 a.m.
Bulldog women fall to Cardinals
LIBERTY, Mo. – The Concordia women’s tennis team was swept, 9-0 by the William Jewell College women’s team on Friday afternoon. The Bulldogs fall to 0-3 this season while the Cardinals improve to 2-1.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The team faced an older team with more experience from a higher conference which made it all the more challenging for them to generate a win. The women are getting better at playing together as a team which will help them in future matches.”
The number one doubles players, Annie Horn and Katelinn Wurm were outscored, 8-3 in their match. Alison Ebel and Anna Kenny were paired up in the number two spot and were topped 8-0. In the final doubles match, Kayla Smock and Katie Hertz fell, 8-1.
In the singles matches, Elizabeth Phillips got her first action of the season but was defeated 6-0, 6-0. Amanda von Seggern also competed individually for the first time this year and was bested, 6-1, 6-1.
The Bulldog women’s team will be back in action tomorrow as it takes on Baker University in Lincoln, Neb. The first serve is slated for Noon.
Wildcats overturn Bulldogs
LINCOLN, Neb. – On Saturday afternoon, the Concordia women’s tennis team faced Baker University. The Bulldogs were defeated 8-1 by the Wildcats.
Concordia drops to 0-4 this season while Baker claims its first victory of the season and is now 1-0.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “Even though the women’s team came up short, they are learning to be more competitive and are putting themselves in a position to win. The match tonight was a lot closer the score shows. We had a lot of close matches that we almost won. I like how the girls are playing together stronger and I’m excited about the upcoming opportunities that we have.”
In the number one singles position, Annie Horn claimed the lone victory for the Bulldogs. Horn defeated her opponent, Brooke Barnard 8-5. Barnard is ranked 17th in Baker’s region.
Katie Hertz competed in her first singles match and was narrowly beaten, 8-5.
In the doubles, Horn and Katelinn Wurm were slotted in the number one position and faced Barnard and Holly Chestnut. The Bulldog duo was defeated, 8-3.
The Concordia women’s tennis team will hit the courts again on Feb. 12 as it takes on Ottawa University in Lincoln, Neb. First serve is slated for 2 p.m.
Concordia falls to ranked opponent
LINCOLN, Neb – The Concordia women’s tennis team dropped a match to 25th-ranked Ottawa University on Friday afternoon. The Braves bested the Bulldogs, 9-0.
Concordia falls to 0-5 on the season while Ottawa improves to 6-2.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women’s team is a young group and they are all competitive players. Every match experience that they have on the court helps their confidence. Their level of play is improving and they are looking forward to conference play later this season.”
Freshman Katelinn Wurm faced Jennifer Luedtke in the No. two singles position. Wurm won three sets in the first game but was ultimately defeated, 6-3, 6-1.
On the doubles side, the duo of Katie Hertz and Elizabeth Phillips debuted as a pair. At the No. three slot, Hertz and Phillips were defeated, 8-1.
The Concordia women’s tennis team will return to the courts tomorrow as it takes on Bethany College in the Walz Fieldhouse in Seward. The first serve is slated for 10 a.m.
Women's tennis grabs first victory over Bethany
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team grabbed its first victory Saturday morning. The Bulldogs faced Bethany College and defeated the Swedes, 8-1.
Concordia is now 1-5 this season. The match on Saturday was Bethany’s first contest of the year.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “It was a great first victory for the women at home. It made it all the more exciting for the girls to get that first victory on the home court. I really thought that we played well. The matches we did play were competitive and I liked the performances. I’m very excited for them to get their first victory. It will really help their confidence out on the court.”
In the singles matches, Alison Ebel defeated her foe 6-2, 6-3 while Kayla Smock stomped out her opponent 6-1, 6-0. Hannah Boe played three close sets but was defeated, 6-3, 2-6, 10-8.
On the doubles side, just one match was played. The duo of Annie Horn and Katelinn Wurm won an 8-6 contest over Amelia Fabrzius and Kittey Edwards.
The Bulldogs will return to play on Feb. 19 as they take on Southwestern College in Lincoln at 2 p.m.
Bulldogs fall to Southwestern
LINCOLN, Neb. – The seventh outing of the season for Concordia University women’s tennis resulted in a 9-0 loss to Southwestern College (Kan.), a team that received votes in the most recent NAIA national coaches’ poll. Friday afternoon’s match was contested at Abbott Sports Complex in Lincoln, Neb.
Second-year head coach Joel Reckewey’s squad is now 1-6 overall this season. Concordia has already played three opponents that are either nationally-ranked or receiving votes.
“We had a strong effort from our No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles matches,” Reckewey said. “Overall the team competed well. We need to continue to put ourselves in position to win matches.”
Freshman Katelinn Wurm fell just short in her bid for victory at No. 2 singles. She dropped a 6-4, 6-7, 7-4 decision to the Moundbuilders’ Nya Cheatham. At No. 1 doubles, Concordia’s duo of Wurm and sophomore Annie Horn went down by an 8-5 score.
Reckewey’s singles lineup included Horn (No. 1), Wurm (No. 2), Alison Ebel (No. 3), Hannah Boe (No. 4), Kayla Smock (No. 5) and Katie Hertz (No. 6).
Southwestern (2-1) is a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Moundbuilders went 13-5 overall in 2015.
The Bulldogs return to action in one week when they take on Tabor College (0-0) at 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26.
Bulldog women fall to Blue Jays
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team suffered a 9-0 defeat to Tabor College Friday afternoon in Lincoln. The Bulldogs fall to 1-7 on the season while the Tabor Blue Jays move to 4-2.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “Our women’s team is young and learning a lot but they are trying very hard to get into the position to win matches. Their match experiences are making them tougher and will benefit them down the road.”
Katelinn Wurm played in the No. 2 singles position and went into an extra set with her opponent. The freshman ultimately dropped her match, 6-4, 4-6, 10-6. Katie Hertz had a close match, losing 6-3, 6-2.
In doubles Annie Horn and Wurm were slotted in the No. 1 spot and lost 8-3. In the No. 2 position was Alison Ebel and Hannah Boe who dropped their match 8-3. Anna Kenney and Elizabeth Phillips were the final doubles pair and lost 8-0.
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Friday, March 4 as they host Bethel College inside the Walz Fieldhouse in Seward at 2 p.m.
Bulldogs defeated by Threshers
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team was defeated 7-2 by Bethel College. The Friday afternoon match saw Annie Horn and Hailey Lemos gain victories in the singles matches.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The team today had a lot closer match than the score shows. I like the way the girls performed. We didn’t do what we needed to in order to win. We had our chances and we did have a lot of close matches. It’s nice to see getting individual victories.”
The Bulldogs drop to 1-9 this season while the Threshers open their season with a win and are now 1-0.
Horn, slotted in the No. one position in singles defeated her opponent 6-4, 6-1. Lemos competed for the first time in the match. The freshman played in the No. four spot in the singles matches and won 8-5. Elizabeth Philips went into an extra set with her foe but was defeated 6-2, 2-6, 10-6.
In the doubles, Lemos and Alison Ebel dropped a close 8-6 match in the No. two position. The No. 3 duo of Phillips and Anna Kenney were defeated 8-5.
The Bulldogs will be back in action on March 10 as they take on Kansas Wesleyan in Salina, Kan. at 2 p.m.
Kansas Wesleyan tops Concordia
SALINA, Kan. – The women’s tennis team was handed an 8-1 loss Wednesday afternoon. Concordia faced Kansas Wesleyan University on the Coyotes home outdoor courts. The Bulldogs fall to 1-9 this season while the Coyotes improve to 1-3.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women had a tough competitive match today. It was a struggle for us because it wasn’t on our home court and it was the first time this season that we have played outdoors. There was a few adjustments we needed to make. Overall, I’m pleased with how the girls are competing.”
The lone victory for the Bulldogs came from Katie Hertz who played in the No. 6 position in the singles matches. She defeated her opponent 6-4, 6-1. Kayla Smock was in the No. 5 spot and was closely defeated in a competitive match 6-2, 2-6, 11-9.
Annie Horn and Katelinn Wurm were paired up at the No. 1 doubles position and were topped 8-2. In the No. 2 spot, Alison Ebel and Hannah Boe suffered an 8-3 loss while Anna Kenney and Elizabeth Phillips dropped an 8-4 match, slotted No. 3 in doubles action.
The Bulldogs will face Friends University tomorrow in their three-day trip in Kansas and Oklahoma. The match is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
Bulldogs sweep Falcons
WICHITA, Kan. – The Concordia women’s tennis team recorded its first sweeping victory on Thursday afternoon. The Bulldogs defeated Friends University 9-0 and move to 2-9 on the season while the Falcons fall to 0-1.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “I am very proud of the way the girls played today. It is really exciting for them to get such a big victory on the road and outdoors. They really came together and were able to get a win.”
Annie Horn (No. 1) and Katelinn Wurm (No. 2) began the sweeping fashion in the singles matches, defeating their opponents 6-0, 6-0. Alison Ebel posted a 6-2, 6-0 victory while Kayla Smock topped her foe 6-0, 6-1.
Paired up at the first doubles spot was Horn and Wurm who found an 8-4 victory. Hannah Boe and Ebel turned in an 8-2 victory at the No. 2 position and Katie Hertz and Smock registered an 8-5 triumph at No. 3.
The Bulldogs will return to the courts Friday to take on Seminole State College. First serve is slated for 2 p.m.
Women's tennis bested by Seminole State
SEMINOLE, Okla. – The Concordia women’s tennis team was handed a 5-0 loss by Seminole State College on Friday afternoon. Seminole State is ranked eighth in NJCAA Div. I by the ITA College Tennis. The Bulldogs fall to 2-10 on the year while the Trojans move to 11-2.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women faced a very strong opponent who is ranked highly in the junior college division. Even though today was an uphill battle, the team understands the value that comes from the experience gained playing against a more seasoned team.”
The match was cut short due to limited court time. The teams started the match with singles competitions and played until one squad scored five team points. Kayla Smock played the closest match but was ultimately defeated 6-3, 6-2 playing at the No. 5 position.
The Concordia women’s tennis team’s next competition will be the opening match for the GPAC season. The Bulldogs will face Morningside College.
Concordia women fall in GPAC home opener
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team began GPAC play on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs hosted Morningside College and were defeated, 9-0.
The ‘Dogs fall to 2-11, 0-1 GPAC on the season while the Mustangs improve to 4-2, 1-0 GPAC this year.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women had a really tough outing in their first conference dual match against a very strong, veteran Morningside team. The Mustangs have a lot of experience and depth on their team. The girls played their best, but it wasn’t enough. It was a learning experience.”
The doubles pairings were Hailey Lemos and Hannah Boe at No. 1, Annie Horn and Katie Hertz at No. 2 and Alison Ebel and Katelinn Wurm at No. 3. The No. 1 and 3 teams each suffered 8-3 defeats while No. 2 lost 8-1. In singles, Lemos and Ebel each two sets but came up short in the final scoring.
The Bulldogs will face College of Saint Mary on Monday in their next conference competition. The two GPAC teams will compete this Monday in Lincoln, Neb at 5:30 p.m.
Bulldogs claim conference victory over Flames
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team found its first GPAC victory Monday evening. The Bulldogs defeated College of Saint Mary 5-4 at the Abbott Sports Complex. Concordia improves to 3-11 overall and 1-1 in the GPAC. The Flames fall to 3-7, 0-3 GPAC.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “I’m really excited about the conference victory that the women pulled off tonight. It was a tough fought battle. It takes a team to win and all of the girls contributed to the victory. I’m really happy with how they competed. I think they deserved it. It was a close victory, but the girls stepped up tonight.”
Winning the doubles matches were the No. 2 and 3 pairs. Annie Horn and Anna Kenney played at No. 2 and defeated their opponent 8-6. Katelinn Wurm and Alison Ebel took an 8-1 triumph.
In the singles matches, Ebel won 6-3, 6-2 over her opponent at the No. 4 spot. Hannah Boe took a 6-0, 6-3 victory at No. 5. In the No. 6 position, Kayla Smock won with a 6-2, 6-0 score.
The Bulldogs will be back in action this Wednesday at Doane College. First serve is slated for 4 p.m.
Doane tops Concordia
CRETE, Neb. -- The women's Concordia tennis team battled in a GPAC contest Wednesday evening. The Doane College Tigers slipped out with a narrow 5-4 victory. The Bulldogs fall to 3-12 overall and 1-2 in the GPAC while the Tigers move to 7-6 and 2-1 in the conference.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, "It was a heartbreaking loss on the road. At one point we were two points away from winning the match. It was four matches all in a third set tie breaker in the last match. The girls were tied at eight and the first one to 10 wins and Hannah Boe just came up short two points. I'm really proud of how the girls competed, we had strong efforts from everyone on the team."
Annie Horn won her fourth match of the year at the No. 1 position in singles 6-3, 6-2. Each in a third set, Katelinn Wurm and Kayla Smock took victories in their singles matches. Wurm played at the No. 3 spot and won 6-4, 2-6, 10-5. At the No. 6 position, Smock won 7-6, 1-6, 10-7 for her fifth victory of the season.
In the doubles, Hailey Lemos and Annie Horn won by an 8-5 decision at No. 1. Anna Kenney and Wurm were paired up at No. 2 while Hannah Boe and Katie Hertz competed in the No. 3 position.
The Concordia women's tennis team will return to the courts on April 12. The Bulldogs will face Nebraska Wesleyan in Seward with first serve slated for 4 p.m.
Ebel, Hertz win doubles; Bulldogs fall to Prairie Wolves
SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team faced Nebraska Wesleyan University in its last home match Tuesday afternoon. The Prairie Wolves came out on top, defeating the Bulldogs 8-1.
Concordia drops to 13-3 overall and 1-2 in the GPAC. Nebraska Wesleyan, currently tied for second in the conference, improve to 8-9 overall and 3-0 in the GPAC.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women faced a tough opponent today. Nebraska Wesleyan is very experienced group, they finished second in the conference last year. We knew they would be tough. I liked the way we competed in doubles. We got a very tough, hard fought victory at No. 3 doubles. Across the board I’m happy with how the girls competed.”
At the No. 3 doubles, Alison Ebel and Katie Hertz won a close, back and forth 9-8, 7-2 match. Hailey Lemos and Annie Horn played at No. 1 and were defeated 8-1. At the No. 2 position was Katelinn Wurm and Hannah Boe who were topped 8-3.
The Bulldogs will return to action this Friday. Concordia will travel to Fremont to face Midland University for a 4 p.m. start time.
Women's tennis defeats Midland
FREMONT, Neb. – The women’s tennis team faced Midland University on Friday afternoon. The Bulldogs grabbed the GPAC victory, 5-4. Concordia moves to 4-13 overall and 2-3 in the GPAC. Midland falls to 7-11 and 2-2 in the conference.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women had a great match today. They showed a lot of resiliency and perseverance. We lost a couple close matches but we played strong through the end and found a way to get a conference victory on the road.”
Paired up at the No. 1 doubles team were Hailey Lemos and Annie Horn who defeated their opponents 8-4. By a score of 8-6, Katelinn Wurm and Hannah Boe also won at the No. 2 position.
In singles matches, Horn was again victorious after topping her opponent 6-4, 6-2 at the No. 2 position. Wurm won in a three-set decision 3-6, 6-4, 10-8 at the No. 3 spot. Kayla Smock won her singles match 6-1, 6-1 at No. 6.
The Concordia women’s tennis team will be back in action Wednesday, April 20 at 4 p.m. The Bulldogs will compete against the University of Nebraska-Kearney on the Loper’s home courts.
Bulldogs fall to Lopers
KEARNEY, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team was defeated by the University of Nebraska-Kearney Wednesday afternoon, 7-2. The Lopers are ranked fourth in their region in the NCAA Division II.
Concordia drops to 4-14 on the season while Kearney improves to 16-4.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women’s team had a tough match against a higher ranked team. They showed good effort and I’m proud of them for that. Annie played really smart to come out at No. 2 singles with a victory.”
Annie Horn won the No. 2 singles match 6-4,6-4 while Hailey Lemos claimed the victory at No. 1 by a default. Lemos and Horn were paired up at No. 1 doubles but did not get the victory in that match. The duo dropped an 8-5 decision to the Lopers.
Katelinn Wurm and Hannah Boe were paired up at the No. 2 position while Katie Hertz and Kayla Smock were paired up at No. 2. Both duos lost 8-0.
The Bulldogs will return to GPAC play this Saturday as they travel to Omaha to take on Northwestern College. The Bulldogs and Red Raiders will begin competition at 10 a.m.
Concordia women take two conference tilts
OMAHA, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team competed in two GPAC competitions on Saturday, facing Northwestern College and Mount Marty College. The Bulldogs won both matches defeating the Red Raiders 6-3 and the Lancers 7-2.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women performed at a high level and had very focused doubles play. They got a really good lead and took the momentum into the singles matches and continued that level of play. We had a couple of great victories today to give us more confidence. I’m really proud of the girls.”
Concordia improves to 6-14 overall and 4-3 in the conference. Northwestern dropped to 4-12 overall and 2-5 in the league. Mount Marty is now 0-7 overall and in the GPAC.
Against the Red Raiders, the Bulldogs’ No. 1 and 3 doubles teams found victories. Hailey Lemos and Annie Horn defeated their opponents, 8-2 at No. 1. The No. 3 team, made up of Hannah Boe and Katie Hertz won 8-3.
Katelinn Wurm played at No. 3 singles and won in three sets 4-6, 7-6, 7-3. Horn, Boe and Kayla Smock all won their singles matches against Northwestern as well.
In the second match versus Mount Marty, two doubles teams competed and both went in favor of the Bulldogs. In singles action, Wurm and Boe were again victorious, Anna Kenney also topped her opponent at the No. 5 position. Hertz won by a forfeit.
The Concordia women’s tennis team will return to action on April 27 as it travels to Hastings. The match will be the last regular season match of the year.
Doubles sweep gives Bulldogs victory
HASTINGS, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team wrapped up its regular season on Thursday afternoon, facing Hastings College. By a 5-4 decision, Concordia took the victory. The Bulldogs finish the regular season 7-14 overall and 5-3 in the GPAC. The Broncos are now 6-12 overall and 4-3 in the conference.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “Outstanding doubles play set the tone for an amazing conference win on the road against Hastings. We played like a team and the girls have made a name for themselves and I think the other teams in the conference are starting to recognize the Bulldogs’ presence. I am really proud of how the girls have compete this conference season and they have had to earn all of their victories. They played to win and they deserve this victory.”
The Bulldogs doubles teams swept the Broncos in all three matches. At No. 1, Hailey Lemos and Annie Horn were paired up and won 8-4. Katelinn Wurm and Kayla Smock were slotted at No. 2 and were victorious with an 8-5 score. The last doubles team made up of Hannah Boe and Katie Hertz won their match 8-2.
The GPAC tournament is up next on the Bulldogs’ slate. The tourney will take place next week on May 6-7 in Fremont, Neb. A finalized schedule will be released as it becomes available.
Young pups come of age
Following a 3-13 start, head coach Joel Reckewey gathered his Concordia women’s tennis team together. At that point roles had yet to be clearly defined for a group made up solely of freshmen and sophomores. Eighteen different doubles combinations had been attempted. Said freshman Katelinn Wurm, “To be honest, I wasn’t confident at the beginning of the year.”
The team meeting clearly impacted Wurm and fellow freshman Kayla Smock significantly. Both mentioned the hour-and-a-half discussion as a turning point. According to them, it was at that moment that the Bulldogs really became a team.
“Coming in I didn’t really know what to expect,” said Smock, a native of Sterling, Colo. “I’ve been really impressed with how far everyone’s come from the first match until now. Fort Hays was our first fall match and you could tell that we all were struggling. We didn’t really know each other. We’ve just grown as a team and that’s really helped us.”
The Bulldogs have come a long ways since that loss to NCAA Division II Fort Hays State University in the fall. Reckewey had no choice but to throw his group of young pups into a den of hungry wolves. There were growing pains and a series of 9-0 defeats during nonconference play. But after a tough slate to begin GPAC play, things began to turn around.
Fast forward to the present and the Bulldogs are riding a four-match GPAC winning streak into this year’s conference tournament. Over that stretch, Concordia doubles pairs are a combined 10-2. The team swept through doubles play in last week’s 5-4 victory at Hastings, showing clear signs of steady development.
“It’s made a huge difference,” said sophomore Annie Horn of the more settled lineup that has taken hold in recent weeks. “Now in practice we have our partner. We’re not switching around every practice with different people. We have someone we play with the whole time. The chemistry has built between all of us.”
Used to playing at the No. 1 singles spot since the start of her freshman season, Horn has slid down to the No. 2 slot with freshman Hailey Lemos jumping to the top. Horn has responded by going 4-2 against GPAC opponents at the No. 2 position. She’s also teamed with Lemos on three-straight victories at No. 1 doubles. Meanwhile, Smock has thrived in her role at No. 6 singles, where she’s 5-1.
Reckewey’s new formula for success also includes sophomores Alison Ebel (No. 4 singles), Hannah Boe (No. 5 singles / No. 3 doubles) and Katie Hertz (No. 3 doubles). The right mix has helped produce wins over Midland, Northwestern, Mount Marty and Hastings since April 15.
The more time the Bulldogs have spent together, the better they’ve become.
“It’s actually pretty amazing,” Wurm said. “On and off the court we’re a team. We do things off the court together a lot and I think that’s what’s built the team. I’ve never had that. I think that’s helped me personally and a lot of the girls, too.”
Next up for third-place (fourth seed) Concordia is a GPAC quarterfinal match with Hastings at 11:30 a.m. on Friday. It will provide another opportunity for memories to be made among close-knit teammates. It may even get a bit squirrely at times.
“The road trips are a lot of fun,” Smock said. “For a while we would go around and ask a question and everyone would answer it. Some were really weird questions like what kind of animal would you be. We just have fun. We’ve made strong connections. It’s also a time for us to figure out what we’re going to do to try to win the match that we’re going to play.”
It’s been a season of growth and learning for the Bulldogs. They’ve done a lot of both and with such a young team, the possibilities for the future have members of the team excited for what’s to come.
“It’s going to be really cool to see the team stay together,” Horn said. “It’s going to be cool to just see how we grow. From here we’re only going to get better. As we bring in more girls it will keep building upon the team.”
Added Wurm, who hails from Bradenton, Fla., “I’m so confident in us right now. We feel like we can win if we do what we’ve been doing.”
Bulldogs defeat Hastings in quarterfinal; fall to Morningside
FREMONT, Neb. – The Concordia women’s tennis team went 1-1 in the GPAC tournament Friday. The Bulldogs defeated Hastings College, 6-3 while losing to Morningside, 5-0. The season ends for the ‘Dogs with an overall 8-15 record.
Head coach Joel Reckewey said, “The women played very well in doubles against Hastings. I’m very proud of how they came out ready to play. They played as a team and played aggressively. Their momentum carried into the singles matches.”
The victory over Hastings started off with a 2-1 lead after the doubles play. Hailey Lemos and Annie Horn defeated their opponents at the No. 1 position, 8-2 while Katelinn Wurm and Kayla Smock took an 8-5 victory at No. 2.
Lemos and Horn played at No. 1 and 2, respectively, in singles matches and each grabbed another victory. Lemos’ match went to a 10-point tie-breaker match which she won 10-6. Horn had no troubles defeating her opponent with a score of 6-0, 6-1. Also finding victories in their singles matches were Hannah Boe at No. 5 (6-3, 6-0) and Smock at No. 6 (6-2, 6-3).
The Bulldogs then took on Morningside in the semifinal match. The Mustangs took all three doubles matches and won two singles tilts before a Bulldog could get on the board.
The young team’s season ends with an overall 44-89 singles record and a 23-43 record in doubles play.
Women's tennis lands three on conference honorable mention team
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia’s women’s tennis team placed three Bulldogs on the All-GPAC Honorable Mention Team, announced Monday by the league office. Sophomore Annie Horn and freshman Kayla Smock received the honors for singles play. Horn and her doubles partner, Hailey Lemos, were named to the doubles honorable mention team.
Horn recorded a 9-11 mark in singles play this season. The Colorado native went 4-9 at the No. 1 position and 5-2 at No. 2. In conference play, Horn was 5-3 with one loss going into a third, tie breaker set. Another loss was decided by a combined three points. This is Horn’s first conference honor for singles play.
Smock was 5-2 in the GPAC over the 2016 season and 8-10 overall in her collegiate debut season. The two losses were from the champion and runner-up teams in the GPAC tournament. Smock played the No. 5 or 6 singles matches in the majority of Concordia’s contests.
The duo of Horn and Lemos boasted a team-high record of 6-3 (6-2 GPAC). They played all matches at the No. 1 slot. The pair’s only conference losses were to the GPAC champions, Morningside and the tournament runner-up, Nebraska Wesleyan. This is Horn’s second doubles All-GPAC honor.
The Bulldogs finished fifth in the conference with a GPAC record of 5-3, the best league mark under coach Joel Reckewey and the best record since 2013 when the team was 5-2 in the conference.