Rare Seed Highlights ITA Weekend

Saint Peter, Minn. (09/28/19)--- The No.8-seed doubles team of Erik Porter and Jared Saue led the Cobbers in a competitive weekend of tennis at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional Championship and Midwest Open tournament at Gustavus. 

Porter and Saue, who finished last season with an overall record of 11-7 and were named to the MIAC All-Conference Team, made it to the Round of 16 of the main doubles draw before falling 8-7 to Eric Beckers and Jackson Reily from Bethel.

Despite the loss, seniors Porter and Saue were the first Cobber double's team to receive a seed in the ITA regional tournament in over a decade. 

In singles play, Porter defeated conference foe Zach Levine (St. Thomas) in a thrilling 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 first round, main draw win before falling in straight sets to No.12-seed Ryan Mitchell of regional powerhouse Wis.-Whitewater. 

Saue also racked up a first-round win in the main singles draw with a 6-1,7-5 victory over Brook Norwood  from Luther.  

Senior Carter Steffes and sophomore Tanner Lundberg also competed in the ITA main singles draw. Steffes lost a close first round match to Nazeer Robinson (Hamline) 6-4, 7-6 while Lundberg dropped a three-setter to Jon Lansing (Coe) 3-6, 6-2, 6-0. 

In addition to the ITA main draw, the Cobbers saw moments of success in the Midwest Open. Steffes teamed with freshman Cole Gillespie to advance to the Round of 16 of the Midwest Open doubles draw after defeating Carter Anderson/Reed Colles from St. Scholastica 8-3 and Dez Young/Tim Roback of St Olaf 8-4.  

Junior Jake Peters and sophomore Grant Storm teamed up in the Midwest Open doubles draw and lost a tight first round match to Peyton Fischer/Hunter Fischer (St Johns) 8-7.

Overall, the Cobbers went 2-7 on the singles court and 3-3 in doubles over the weekend. Seniors Porter, Saue, and Steffes led the team in wins as each player recorded two wins for the weekend.

What's Next: Concordia will now enter the winter off-season after finishing up their month-long fall season. The team kicks off its regular season campaign on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Crown College.

Concordia Men's Tennis Results From 2019 ITA Regional

ITA Singles
Erik Porter (Mandan, ND)
1st Round- def. Zach Levine (St. Thomas) 2-6,6-1,6-0
2nd Round- lost to #12 Ryan Mitchell (Wisconsin-Whitewater) 6-2,6-2

Jared Saue (Montevideo, MN)
1st Round- def. Brook Norwood (Luther) 6-1,7-5
2nd Round- lost to Alex Budde (Gustavus) 6-2,6-3

Tanner Lundberg (Brainerd, MN)
1st Round- lost to Jon Lansing (Coe) 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 

Carter Steffes (Fargo, ND)
1st Round- lost to Nazeer Robinson (Hamline) 6-4,7-6

ITA Doubles
Erik Porter/Jared Saue
1st Round- Bye
2nd Round- def. Isiminger/ DiLeo (Central) 8-3
Round of 16- Lost to Beckerss/Reily (Bethel) 8-7

Midwest Open Singles
Cole Gillespie (Thief River Falls, MN)
1st Round- Lost to Jacob Marcou (Wis-La Crosse) 6-4,2-6,10-8

Jake Peters (Glenwood, MN)
1st Round- Lost to Garrett Goeden (Dubuque) 6-4, 6-2

Grant Storm (Alexandria, MN)
1st Round- Lost to Sahil Chhugani (Carleton) 6-1,6-1

Midwest Open Doubles
Carter Steffes/Cole Gillespie
1st Round- def. Anderson/Colles (St. Scholastica) 8-3
2nd Round- def. Young/Roback (St. Olaf) 8-4
Round of 16- Lost to White/Roti (Carleton) 8-3

Jake Peters/Grant Storm
1st Round- Lost to Fischer/Fischer (St. Johns) 8-7