NORTH NEWTON, Kan. – Four new Bulldogs got their feet wet on Tuesday (Sept. 13) as the Concordia University Women’s Tennis team opened the fall portion of the 2022-23 schedule at Bethel College. The host Threshers rallied back from a doubles deficit with four singles wins and came away with the team decision, 4-3, in North Newton, Kan. The Bulldogs were edged despite reigning victorious at the Nos. 1 and 2 doubles spots.
Head Coach Cam Long is at the outset of his second year leading the Bulldogs. An influx of talented freshmen will give the team a boost throughout the fall and spring. This was a learning experience.
“It was a tough loss today, but it helped us tremendously,” Long said. “Having all the new freshmen get their first collegiate match experience under their belt was great. We showed a lot of fight and I’m excited to see how we’ll be prepared for this coming weekend.”
Two freshmen paired together at the top of the doubles lineup: Ella Dean of Lincoln, Neb., and Mariano Molano of Bogota, Colombia. The rookie duo put a 6-2 win over the board. Then at No. 2, freshman Alana Lopez Pagan combined with sophomore Tessa Blough on a tight victory, 7-6 (7-5). In the final doubles spot, Tara Ferrel and Brooke Hosick were defeated, 6-3.
A fine day for Molano continued in singles as she took over the No. 1 spot in the lineup and claimed a 6-3, 6-1, win. Lopez Pagan also took a victory by a 6-1, 7-5, score at No. 2 singles. Bethel proved to have the greater depth while sweeping the Nos. 3 through 6 singles positions. Those spots in the Concordia lineup were held down by Blough, Ferrel, Hosick and Gabby Heiser, respectively.
This was also the opener for Bethel, a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member that went 9-9 overall in 2021-22. Meanwhile, Concordia is coming off a 6-11 record last season.
The Bulldos will be back in action this Friday and Saturday for the GPAC Fall Tournament that is formatted as an individual bracket style event. The tournament will be held at Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln and is slated to get underway at 9 a.m. CT both days.