Sower sports roundup, week of April 12
By Kai Olbrich
Sports Editor
Women’s tennis
The Concordia women’s tennis team closed its regular season with a 5-2 win over College of Saint Mary on Friday, April 17.
The Bulldogs won four of six singles matches to secure the overall win for the team. Junior Chakira Derman earned a 6-4, 6-1 victory, followed by sophomore Ishane Derman with a 6-3, 6-4 win. Junior Alexa Richert won her sets 6-3, 6-2, and Sophomore Nina Milic added a 6-0, 6-1 result.
In doubles, Concordia secured the point from Chakira Derman and senior Alan Lopez Pagan in a 6-1 victory, while Milic and Richert also posted a 6-1 victory to conclude the result.
With the win, the Bulldogs finish the regular season 15-5 overall and 6-1 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, securing a first-round bye as the second seed, where they will compete in the semifinal round April 23 and 25 at the Genesis Health Club in Omaha, Neb.
The Bulldogs preceded their regular-season closer with a 6-1 win over Doane.
Concordia seized control in the doubles with a strong performance from Chakira Derman and Lopez Pagan as they continue to keep the rhythm going together. Richert and Milic broke through a tight 7-5 decision.
From there, the Bulldogs maintained control in singles play by winning five of the six matches. Lopez Pagan posted a 6-2, 6-4 win, and Chakira Derman followed with a 6-1 win in both of her sets to extend the Bulldog’s lead. Alexa Richert clinched the team’s point with a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
Additional results came from Milic, who rebounded from a first-set loss to win in three sets (4-6, 6-1, 6-2), and Ishane Derman earned a straight-set victory by winning 7-6 and 7-5.
With the win, the Bulldogs are 15-5 overall and 6-1 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. They will play in the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament on April 23-25.
Men’s tennis
Concordia squared off against GPAC rival Doane on April 16, sweeping the Tigers 7-0.
The Bulldogs won straight sets in four of six singles competition matches. Concordia won each game in doubles action, with the closest score being 6-4.
The GPAC athlete of the week, freshman Leo Lopez, took down Elliot Dassel 6-4, 6-2 for his 14th win in singles competition this season. Lopez then teamed up with junior Daniel Caballeros and defeated Doane’s Diego Infante/Elliot Dassel team 6-2.
Senior Nick Velders recorded a 6-1, 6-1 win over Doane’s Diego Infante in singles play. Velders is ranked No. 13 in singles competition this year, with a record of 22-2 this season.
Senior Hugo Fuentes teamed up with Velders to take down Jaime Asiain Banzo and Andre Hartman in doubles action. Fuentes and Velders comprise a doubles team ranked No. 27 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Concordia finishes its regular season second in the GPAC with a record of 16-4, and a 4-1 record in conference play. The Bulldogs face either Doane or Mount Marty in the GPAC semifinals game on April 24th for a chance to compete for the conference championship on April 25.
Women’s golf
The Concordia women’s golf team turned in a consistent performance at the Wildcat Classic this past week, finishing 11th out of 15 teams, shooting 327 on both days, while competing against a strong field largely made up of NCAA Division II programs.
On April 14 at Wayne Country Club in Wayne, Nebraska, Concordia was led by senior Emery Custer, who delivered an impressive second-round score of 77 (+5). After opening with an 80, Custer climbed eight spots on the leaderboard to finish tied for 29th overall with a two-round total of 157. She highlighted her round with a birdie on the ninth hole and continues to lead the team with a season scoring average of 80.1.
Senior Maddie Lewis provided stability in the No. 2 position, finishing tied for 53rd with rounds of 82-81-163. She was followed by sophomore Savannah McFalls (85-84-169; T-68th) and freshman Amelia Ptacnik (80-89-169; T-68th), who recorded a career-low 80 in the opening round. Freshman Olivia James rounded out the lineup with a total of 170 (85-85), placing 72nd.
Head coach Brett Muller noted the changing weather conditions throughout the tournament, as shifting winds created two distinct course setups between rounds. Despite the challenge, the Bulldogs showed improvement and competed well against top-tier opponents. The University of Nebraska-Kearney claimed the team title with a score of 602.
Concordia also had a second group competing at the Kaitlyn Erickson Invite hosted by Doane in Lincoln. Makenzie Hughes led the group with a 177 (93-84), followed by Kaylee Carlson (186), Emma McCoy (189), Brielle Cook (192), and Abigail Kollbaum (197).
The Bulldogs will next compete at the GPAC Women’s Golf Championships on April 27-28 at Dakota Dunes Country Club, where they aim to improve upon last season’s seventh-place conference finish.
Baseball
Concordia baseball brought home a series win over the weekend against the Dakota Wesleyan Tigers. Concordia won three of four games, and aside from a 5-6 loss on Thursday, put up a dominant performance against the Tigers.
The Concordia bullpen brought the heat in this series and was a significant contributor to the team’s success. In their first 10-1 win on Wednesday, starting pitcher Alex Johnson silenced the Tigers’ offense from the start with six innings pitched and just one earned run while striking out 14 batters.
Game two proved to be a challenge, but in game three, the Bulldogs’ pitching once again quieted Wesleyan’s bats. With five pitchers coming to the mound in Friday’s game, the Bulldogs really stretched their bullpen, but despite the challenge only allowed two runs.
In game four starter Sam Bespoyasny went five innings with five earned runs and was relieved by Harrison Hoiekvam. Hoiekvam closed the game and allowed no runs in his three innings pitched while getting nine strikeouts, giving the Bulldogs the 12-6 victory.
From the batter’s box, Concordia was even stronger. Sophomore Jake Watson had a productive series, with four multiple-hit games and a home run in game two.
Seniors Bronx Lewis and Jaeden Jordahl had notable offensive performances as well. Lewis and Jordahl slowed down a bit in Concordia’s second game, but in games three and four came back and led the offensive charge with a few home runs and RBIs that solidified the Bulldogs’ win over the Tigers.
It wasn’t just these players who hit well. Success on offense was seen by the team as a whole, and the Bulldogs were able to come away having outhit the Tigers in every game.
On Thursday at 1 p.m., the Bulldogs will face off against the top-ranked GPAC team, the Morningside Mustangs, in the first of a two-game series in Sioux City, Iowa.
