LINCOLN, Neb. – While depth is a strength for the Concordia University Women’s Tennis, the Bulldogs can also compete at the top. Junior Claudia Miranda Viera starred at the No. 1 position in both singles and doubles as Concordia remained unbeaten thanks to a 5-2 win over Bethany College (Kan.) on Saturday (Feb. 27). The match was contested inside Genesis Racquet Club in Lincoln, Neb.
Head Coach David DeSimone’s squad has also defeated William Jewell College (Mo.) and Sterling College (Kan.) during the 2020-21 season.
“We started off the day playing well in doubles,” DeSimone said. “Claudia and Tara (Ferrel) came back from a slow start to take the set, which was very encouraging to see. We played a lot of tiebreakers and were fortunate to battle through some nerves during those tight moments and get some good wins.”
The Nos. 1 and 2 doubles partners came through for the Bulldogs when play got underway in the afternoon. Miranda Viera teamed up with Tara Ferrel on a 6-4 win at No. 1 while Luisa Esquivel and Katy Krejci collaborated on a victory by the same score at No. 2.
Three of the six singles matches were decided by tiebreakers. That was the case at No. 1 where Miranda Viera persevered after dropping the first set. Krejci also outlasted her opponent in a tiebreaker at No. 4. At the bottom of the lineup, Esquivel (No. 5) and Kaitlin Seja (No. 6) needed less dramatics while helping clinch the team win. Ferrel lost her tiebreaker at No. 2 and Ansley Gates also dropped a close one at No. 3 (6-4, 6-4).
Through three dual matches, Concordia has gone a combined 11-7 in singles and 6-3 in doubles. Krejci and Seja are both 2-0 in their singles outings.
Bethany slipped to 0-2 having also lost at Midland, 6-1, on Feb. 12. The Bulldogs also got the best of the Swedes in 2019 with the result being a 9-0 final score (each doubles match counted as an individual team point).
The Bulldogs will now have a break in the action with the next scheduled match slated for Thursday, March 11 when they will be at Bethel College in North Newton, Kan. Match time is set for 11 a.m. CT.