SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Tennis opened GPAC play in sweeping fashion to defeat Hastings, 7-0, on Wednesday (March 25) at the Bulldog Tennis Courts. The Bulldogs delivered six bagels overall in an overwhelming display by Santiago Abadia and Nick Velders, only surrendering one game apiece in doubles and singles play combined. CUNE honored four seniors today in Seward.
Head Coach Lisa Hart and the squad improved to 13-3 overall and 1-0 in conference action with a complete performance across both doubles and singles competition.
“It was very special to honor our four seniors tonight,” Coach Hart said. “They’ve all contributed so much on and off the court during their time as Bulldogs. I am very proud of how they have each selflessly improved themselves and our team during their time in our program. On a more personal note, they have all made me a better coach, and I’m forever grateful to each of them for that.”
The four-year veteran group delivered in a big way. Velders set the tone at the top of the singles lineup with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 victory. Abadia followed with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 4, while Bedrosian battled to a 6-1, 7-5 decision.
“It was awesome that we were all able to come together as a team,” Michael Bedrosian said. “It was awesome to be with my teammates on the court. We practice hard every day. We keep our goals in mind of what we want to achieve. Then we try to hit those goals from practice.”
Abadia is on a bit of a hot streak winning three of his last four singles bouts with a total 8-3 overall record. GPAC Player of the Week Velders keeps his undefeated streak alive with a 14-0 showing this season.
Concordia wasted little time taking control of the match, securing the doubles point with a trio of convincing victories. At No. 2, senior Hugo Fuentes and Abadia delivered a flawless 6-0 shutout to set the tone. The No. 1 pairing of Leo Lopez and Daniel Caballeros followed with a strong 6-3 win, while Velders and Bedrosian capped the sweep at No. 3 with another 6-0 decision. The Bulldogs’ sharp play in doubles put Hastings on its heels early and carried momentum into individual matches.
In singles action, Concordia’s depth proved overwhelming as it claimed all six matches in straight sets. Along with Velders, Abadia and Bedrosian, Daniel Caballeros secured a solid 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 2, and Leo Lopez controlled play at No. 3 with a 6-2, 6-2 result that clinched the match win. Joseph Melzer completed the sweep in emphatic performance with a 6-0, 6-0 shutout at No. 6.
On Senior Day, Concordia honored its veteran leaders in Nick Velders, Santiago Abadia, Michael Bedrosian and Hugo Fuentes.
“It feels weird now that I am a senior,” Abadia said. “I remember when I was a freshman and I couldn’t imagine this day. We are really thankful for Concordia, the team and the coach. We are so happy. We have a really good team and want to keep it up. The team wants it. We want to go to nationals and be a part of the program’s history. We want to make it happen.”
Concordia (13-3, 1-0 GPAC) will look to keep its momentum rolling as it travels to Sioux City, Iowa, to face No. 14 Morningside (15-4, 1-0 GPAC) on Sunday (March 29). The two teams will clash at 1 p.m. CT at the Mason Family Tennis Complex.