SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia Women’s Tennis has moved its schedule up one day and will compete against Morningside on Friday (Mar. 22) in Sioux City, Iowa. The Bulldogs went to Fremont, Neb. for a non-conference dual against Midland but fell in a 2-5 loss to the Warriors. Head Coach Lisa Hart’s squad is 6-5 overall and 1-0 in the GPAC.
This Week
Friday, March 22 at Morningside (8-3), 12 p.m.
--Location: First Serve Tennis Center (South Sioux City, Neb.)
By the numbers
· The current GPAC rankings have placed Concordia in third with only two total matches played in the conference so far. The two in front are Morningside and Midland, making this Saturday a huge opportunity for the Dawgs. Finishing fourth last season, the team will look to match as champions from the 2021 season (co-champs).
· Having only one match in seven days, the Bulldogs traveled to the Fremont YMCA and were able to get two singles wins against the defending GPAC champions. The top two seeds, No. 1 Mariana Molano and No. 2 Chakira Derman, defeated their opponents, putting the win in play late in the dual. The two remaining couldn’t find victories on the road but gained confidence for the match that will count for conference standings in Seward.
· The Bulldog blue and white have bested 33 individual singles matches and 14 doubles through 11 duals. Lopez-Pagan (seven) and Molano (seven) have collected the most triumphs in singles, with Richert (four) not far behind. Molano, the sophomore out of Bogotá, Colombia, has been undefeated (4-0) at the No. 2 slot. The pair, Lopez-Pagan and Molano, have the most wins as a duo (four) plus Derman and Gottberg are unbeaten (2-0) in the couple of times they have been put together.
· Morningside comes into the week with an 8-3 overall record and will break into conference play with Mound Marty on Wednesday. The Mustangs are on a two-dual win streak having defeated Missouri Baptist University (Mo.), 7-0, and Principia College (Ill.), 9-0. Morningside is predicted to win the conference from pre-season rankings.
Next week
Concordia will get a two week break before facing Northwestern and Doane. The Dawgs will host the Red Raiders on Friday (Apr. 5) and the Tigers the following Tuesday.