Saving Their Best For Last

ORLANDO, Fla. (3/07/19)---The final day in Florida was very kind to Concordia as they won both matches to end their 5-match losing streak and come away with a 2-3 record in their annual spring break trip.

The Cobbers faced three very good opponents to start their Florida trip and took that experience to the last day on Thursday and pulled off a 7-2 win over Regis (Mass.) and then a dramatic 5-4 victory over Adrian (Mich.).

The two wins on Thursday push Concordia's overall season record to 4-7 on the season.

The most thrilling moment of the whole trip came in the final singles match in the final team match against Adrian.  With the team's deadlocked at 4-4 and surrounding one court, freshman Tanner Lundberg rallied from a 1-0 deficit and claimed an "instant classic" win in the super-set tie-breaker at No.4 singles. He evened the match with a 7-5 win in the second set and then outlasted his opponent by winning 10-3 in the tie-breaker. The singles win was Lundberg's third in Florida.

Lundberg was able to grab the spotlight due to a pair of doubles wins and then singles victories Jared Saue and Ben Swanson. Saue also won in the tie-breaker as he won 6-4, 1-6, 10-6 at No.2 singles. Swanson won in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 at No.3 singles.

Concordia's No.1 doubles team of Erik Porter and Saue got CC on the board with an 8-2 win. Lundberg and Swanson then gave the Cobbers a 2-1 lead after the doubles play with their 8-2 victory at No.2 doubles.

The Cobbers started the final day in Florida with a convincing win over Regis. Head Coach Zach Zitur switched up the doubles pairs and it gave CC a spark which led to a 3-0 lead. Lundberg and Swanson moved up to No.1 doubles and won 8-4. Porter then teamed with Carter Steffes to win 8-2 at No.2 doubles and then Saue and Christian Larson completed the sweep with an 8-6 win at No.3 doubles.

Concordia then won four singles matches in straight sets. Porter won 6-1, 6-3 at No.1 singles. Saue, Swanson and Lundberg followed suit to give CC the 7-2 win.

The Cobbers started their Florida by battling American Rivers Conference perennial power Coe. Concordia fell behind 3-0 after the doubles but then split the singles bouts. Saue, Swanson and Jake Peters all earned singles victories for CC.

Swanson led all Cobbers in singles play in Florida. He went 4-1 in his five matches at No.3 singles. Saue and Lundberg were both 3-2 in singles play. Swanson was also a part of the top doubles team for CC. He paired with Lundberg to go 3-2 on the spring break trip.               
 
UP NEXT: Concordia will return to Minnesota and have a 9-day break before hosting St. John's on Saturday, Mar. 16 at 2:30 p.m. at Courts Plus in Fargo. The Cobbers were supposed to play St. Olaf on Saturday, Mar. 9 but the match was cancelled due to yet another winter storm.

Concordia-M'head 5, Adrian College 4
Mar 07, 2019 at Orlando, Fla. (USTA Tennis Center)

Singles competition
1. Nathan Waterbury (AC) def. Erik Porter (CC) 2-6, 6-3, 11-9
2. Jared Saue (CC) def. Tanner Wilcox (AC) 6-4, 1-6, 10-6
3. Ben Swanson (CC) def. Ronald Ducharme (AC) 6-1, 6-4
4. Tanner Lundberg (CC) def. Cameron Rafinski (AC) 3-6, 7-5, 10-3
5. Kyle Haines (AC) def. Carter Steffes (CC) 6-3, 6-3
6. Jovanni Wagner-Pyne (AC) def. Jake Peters (CC) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Erik Porter/Jared Saue (CC) def. Nathan Waterbury/Tanner Wilcox (AC) 8-2
2. Tanner Lundberg/Ben Swanson (CC) def. Ronald Ducharme/Kyle Haines (AC) 8-2
3. Cameron Rafinski/Nolan Duda (AC) def. Carter Steffes/Christian Larson (CC) 8-6