Better Battles
Concordia dropped three matches on the weekend but had better battles in all three matches.
BEMIDJI, Minn. (2/05/17)--- The end scores didn't turn out in Concordia's favor but the battles inside each match kept showing signs of improvement for the Cobbers.
Concordia lost 9-0 to MSU Moorhead on Friday and then traveled to Bemidji on Sunday and lost 8-1 to host Bemidji State before falling 9-0 to St. Benedict.
In all three matches the Cobbers' doubles play continues to be a strong point as they put up good fights against all three teams.
Concordia started the three-match weekend by falling to the Dragons. The Cobber No.2 doubles team of Lisa Neumann and Breann Adamek was the strong point for CC all weekend long in the double bouts. Neumann and Adamek lost 8-4 after falling 8-1 at No.2 doubles last season to MSU Moorhead.
Kendra Stoick was involved in the tightest match in singles play as she lost a 6-2, 6-3 decision at No.2 singles.
The Cobbers faced off against Division II Bemidji State in the first match on Sunday. Once again the tandem of Neumann and Adamek went deep into their bout at No.2 doubles before falling 8-4.
The highlight of the weekend for the Cobbers came in the No.6 singles match against Bemidji State. Freshman Talia Dalzell engaged in a classic back-and-forth match and wound up winning in extra games in the super-set tie-breaker to record her first collegiate singles victory. Dalzell won the opening set 6-4 but then lost 7-5 in set No.2. The super-set tiebreaker went 20 games with each player gaining momentum along the way. The match was the only single bout remaining and the crowd got to see an instant classic with Dalzell earning the win by claiming victories in two straight games after the tie-breaker was tied at 9-9.
The Cobbers then opened MIAC play by squaring off against St. Benedict. Neumann and Adamek once again played the closest doubles match of the team battle and came even closer to their first win of the season. They fell 8-6 but had opportunities to take the match into the tie-breaker.
All six singles matches had quality play. Freshman Ivy Mattson engaged in the closest bout. She fell by identical 6-3 set scores at No.3 singles.
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will head to St. Paul for a pair of MIAC matches on Saturday. The Cobbers will face Bethel at the Lifetime Fitness Center in White Bear Lake at 2:30 p.m. and then square off against St. Catherine at 7:30 p.m. at the Baseline Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota.