One Unbeaten Streak Remains

WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. (2/11/17)--- Isaac Toivonen remained unbeaten in singles play in 2017 as he claimed one of the two wins for the Cobbers' in their 7-2 loss to Bethel in the conference opener for both teams.

Toivonen gutted out a 4-6, 6-1, 10-8 victory at No.1 singles to record his third straight victory to start the season. Cobber freshman Erik Porter earned the other win for CC at No.4 singles by claiming a 6-1, 7-6 (8) victory. The win is his first collegiate singles win and he is part of the only CC doubles team to have posted a win this year.

Concordia is now 0-3 on the season while the Royals stay unbeaten at 4-0.

The Cobbers fell behind 3-0 after the doubles play. The closest bout came in the No.2 spot where Porter and David Schneck lost 8-4.

Schneck then started slow in singles play but then nearly forced a super-set tie-breaker as he lost 7-5 in the second set.

Senior Matthew Engum saw his unbeaten streak come to an as he lost in a super-set tie-breaker at No.6 singles. Engum also started slow, losing 6-1 in the first set. He then rallied to win 6-2 in the second set. The play went back-and-forth until Engum lost 10-5 in the super-set.

FLIP FLOPS: Isaac Toivonen and Bethel senior Matt Schull have staged an intense battle at No.1 singles the past three seasons. Toivonen got Schull in straight sets in his freshman season in 2015. Schull then returned the favor last year with a victory in the super-set tie-breaker. Saturday's bout decided the career head-to-head match and Toivonen came away with the victory to clip Schull 2-1 for the series.

LOOK KIDS - BIG BEN, PARLIAMENT: Concordia and Bethel have finished with identical 7-2 team scores for three straight seasons. Unfortunately for the Cobbers they have lost all three straight 7-2 marks. It is also the fifth time in the past six years that CC has lost by a 7-2 margin.
  
WHAT'S NEXT: Concordia will look to capture its first win of the year when they host a pair of conference matches next weekend. The Cobbers will square off against St. John's on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. and then battle St. Thomas on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 9:30 a.m.

Bethel University 7, Concordia-Moorhead 2
Feb 11, 2017 at White Bear Lake, Minn. (Lifetime Fitness)

Singles competition
1. Isaac Toivonen (CC) def. Matt Schull (BU) 4-6, 6-1, 10-8
2. Kolin Kiekhoefer (BU) def. David Youngs (CC) 6-2, 6-3
3. Hunter Fernelius (BU) def. David Schneck (CC) 6-1, 7-5
4. Erik Porter (CC) def. Jakob Bartels (BU) 6-1, 7-6 (10-8)
5. Noah Ridgway (BU) def. Jesse Schneeberger (CC) 6-0, 6-2
6. Nick Knudsen (BU) def. Matthew Engum (CC) 6-1, 2-6, 10-5

Doubles competition
1. Matt Schull/Hunter Fernelius (BU) def. Isaac Toivonen/David Youngs (CC) 8-3
2. Kolin Kiekhoefer/Noah Ridgway (BU) def. David Schneck/Erik Porter (CC) 8-4
3. Jakob Bartels/Henry Morris (BU) def. Jesse Schneeberger/Matthew Engum (CC) 8-1