FULTON, Mo. – After being swept off the doubles court, Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Tennis regrouped and rebounded while taking down a nationally ranked opponent on the road. Alexa Richert outlasted her counterpart at No. 5 singles, clinching the team victory over NAIA No. 19 William Woods University on Saturday (March 21). The final score rested at 4-2 in a match that carried on for five hours and concluded in the twilight in Fulton, Mo. The Bulldogs won four of the five completed singles matches in a clash between 2025 national qualifiers.
Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squad had gone two weeks since its last outing, a 4-0 loss on the road to an NAIA “receiving votes” team in Missouri Baptist University. Concordia has finished its nonconference slate and now stands at 9-4 overall.
“I am very proud of our team today,” Hart said. “They battled for five hours, lost the doubles point and came out so strong in singles, winning the first three spots in straight sets. I’m especially proud of Alexa, who was battling illness the past week and gutted out her third set.”
Based on available records, the Bulldog Women’s Tennis program had not posted a win over a ranked opponent in recent years. Such an accomplishment came to fruition on Saturday as Concordia flexed its muscles at the top of the singles lineup. Wins were notched by No. 1 Mariana Molano, 6-3, 6-2, No. 2 Chakira Derman, 6-3, 6-1, and No. 3 Ishane Derman, 6-3, 6-4. The team score stood at 3-2 as Richert and Zara Littlejohn battled into a third set.
A junior from Gillette, Wyo., Richert triumphed, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, at No. 5. The results were a continuation of the Bulldogs’ success this season in singles (47-23 team singles mark compared to a 15-22 record in doubles). From a ratings perspective, the win was the program’s most significant since toppling Morningside (receiving votes) in last season’s GPAC Championship Match.
William Woods (5-8) won the doubles matches by scores of 7-6 (7-3) at No. 1 and 6-3 at Nos. 2 and 3. The Owls got a second team point via Manon Grasset’s victory at No. 4 singles. William Woods endured its fourth straight defeat.
The Bulldogs are scheduled to begin GPAC play on Thursday with a home match versus Hastings. First serve from the Bulldog Outdoor Tennis Center is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT.