Men's Tennis opens NACC Tournament with victory over Concordia Chicago

GLENDALE, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin Men's Tennis team opened its quest for a fourth straight Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament championship with a 5-0 win over Concordia University Chicago Monday at the Paley Tennis Center.

The Falcons, who are the No. 3 seed in the six-team tournament, advance to face No. 2 Edgewood College on Saturday in the semifinals. That match is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison. The winner of that match will play later that day in the finals against either top-seeded MSOE or the winner of Wisconsin Lutheran College and Aurora University. WLC and AU play today in the other first round match.

The Falcons built a 3-0 lead after doubles play as their duos dropped a total of three points. The No. 1 team of seniors Russell Johnson (Monticello, Minn.) and Skip Turner (Eau Claire, Wis.) rolled to an 8-0 win at the top of the Falcons lineup. Junior Benjamin Nommensen (Waupaca, Wis.) and senior Garrett Wells (Aurora, Ill.) then played to an 8-2 win at No. 2 doubles, while senior Tanner Hahn (Reedsburg, Wis.) and junior Steven Fritz (Berwyn, Ill.) gained an 8-1 win at No. 3.

In singles play Johnson and Turner picked up the Falcons victories at the No. 1 and 2 positions, respectively. Johnson was dominant in a 6-0, 6-1 win, while Turner gained a 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) win. At that point the match was stopped as CUW gained the decisive fifth point to advance to the next round.

Hahn and Nommensen were leading their No. 3 and 4 singles matches at the time play was halted. Hahn won his opening set 6-2 and was leading 3-1 is set two at No. 3 singles. Nommensen hadn't dropped a point at the time play was stopped, leading 6-0, 3-0. The No. 5 and 6 singles matches had not begun yet.

The Falcons improved to 7-0 all-time in NACC Tournament matches. The NACC Tournament begin in the 2011 season and this is the first season CUW has not been the top overall seed.