The Best For Last On Spring Training Trip
ORLANDO, Fla. (3/07/24)---Concordia saved its best tennis for the final day in Florida as they lost a back-and-forth 6-3 decision to Ursinus (Pa.) and then blanked King's (Pa.) 9-0.
The Cobbers nearly pulled off the sweep on Thursday as they narrowly lost a pair of singles matches against Ursinus in the super-set tie-breaker.
The split gives Concordia a 1-4 record on their annual spring training trip to Florida and leaves their overall season record at 3-14.
Concordia 3, Ursinus (Pa.) 6
The Cobbers grabbed the early momentum on their final day in Florida by claiming two of the three doubles matches. Mary Skorich and Erin Borchard won 8-3 at No.2 doubles, while Annalise Skrade and Ava Lowman won by the same score line at No.3 doubles.
Borchard went on to record the only win in singles play for Concordia when she breezed her way to a 6-0, 6-1 win at No.4 singles.
The two swing matches of the overall team competition came at No.3 singles and No.6 singles. Anna Hacker rallied from losing the opening set 6-0 in her match at No.3 singles to tie the bout at 1-1 with a 6-4 win in the second. The tie-breaker went in favor of Ursinus as they were able to get a couple of crucial service breaks and earn a 10-4 win.
Lowman used the energy from her doubles victory to bolt out to a 1-0 lead in her bout at No.6 singles. She won 6-4 in the first, but then dropped a 6-1 decision in the second set. Like Hacker, the final tie-breaker score was 10-4 with a couple of key points going in favor of the Bears.
Concordia 9, King's (Pa.) 0
It was all Cobbers, all match in the final event in Florida. Concordia only lost one set in singles play and didn't allow King's to win more than three games in doubles play as they cruised to their third win of the year.
Borchard and Raquel Egge set the tone at No.1 doubles by posting an 8-2 win. The victory was the pair's third of the season which leads CC on the year.
Hacker and Lizzie Allan finished up right after the win at No.1 doubles with an 8-3 victory in the No.2 spot. The Cobbers were also able to claim a forfeit win at the No.3 doubles position as the Monarchs were short one player.
Allan and Hacker have now played two matches as doubles partners this season and have won both of those bouts.
Concordia lost only six games in the four matches from No.2 through No.5 singles. Hacker, Borchard, Skrade and Bell Hamre all won in straight sets to push the Cobbers to the team win.
The win for Borchard was her team-leading sixth singles win of the season, while Hacker recorded her fourth victory of the year.
The closest match of the day was played out at No.1 singles where Skorich wore down her opponent to win in the super-set tie-breaker. She started slowly, losing the first set 6-3, but then responded by winning the second set 6-3. Skorich then won key points at the back end of the tie-breaker to come away with a 10-7 victory.
The win give Skorich four singles wins on the year, which is tied with Hacker and Allan for the second-most victories on the team.
UP NEXT: Concordia returns to MIAC play on Mar. 16 and Mar. 17 when they play Gustavus in St. Peter and St. Mary's at Courts Plus.