by Todd Lamberth | Apr 3, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
It was a tough weekend for the Lipscomb men’s tennis team as they went 0-2 against their Atlantic Sun Conference competition. Despite the losses, Bison head coach Mario Hernandez saw some good things from his team and is confident they can move forward from the weekend. “I think for the most part our guys are playing at a good level,”Hernandez said, “but we need some guys to figure out how deep they’re going to dig try and clinch the win for the team. “We’ve got the ability to do some great things this year, but we need to believe that and be ready to earn our wins.” The Bisons dropped a 4-2 match to Stetson on Thursday before they were bested 5-2 by North Florida on Saturday. Saturday’s match with the Ospreys was closer than the score might indicate and Hernandez was able to draw positives from the loss. “There are much more positives to draw from this match against a good team, but nobody is satisfied,” Hernandez said. “That isn’t a negative but more a positive because we know what our potential is, but it’s time to realize that potential instead of talking about it. In confident this group can step up and do it.” One positive from the weekend was the play of senior Rob Mitchell. Mitchell has started conference play with a perfect 4-0 record while playing as the top seed. Similarly, Alejandro Manzanares has started 3-1 in conference play, suffering his first loss on Saturday. “They competed very well and displayed the grit, fight and confidence we need from all our players,” Hernandez said of the upperclassman. Lipscomb (5-10, 1-3) travels to Florida for matches with Florida Atlantic and Florida Gulf Coast next week. With just three...
by Todd Lamberth | Mar 11, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb men’s tennis team got back on track on Friday with a 4-2 win over Ball State. Lipscomb (3-7) was able to get ahead early by winning the doubles point on its way to snapping its three match skid. “Today was a great effort by the team to work together and really represent the culture we talk about,” Lipscomb assistant coach Geoff Hernandez said. “We had a strong fighting spirit, and that makes us proud. The best part about today was that everyone contributed to the win.” Daniel Cardenas and Jorge Ortegon got the Bisons on the board early as they pulled out the 6-3 win at the second doubles line. After getting down a break at the third line, Thais Minet and George Wong rallied to a 7-5 win to give Lipscomb the point advantage heading into singles play. “The doubles was crucial today,” Hernandez said. “George and Thais did a great job at 3. They were loud and fought back from being down a break to clinch the point.” Lipscomb continued their strong play into singles play, getting wins at the first, second and fourth lines. At the top spot, Alejandro Manzanares defeated Lucas Andersen 6-4, 6-3. After having to step into the top spot in the order two weeks ago, the junior has won his last two matches. The Bison coaching staff know what Manzanares is capable of so his success at the top line comes as no surprise. “We know Alejandro is a good enough player to win at one, and today he acted that way,” Hernandez said. “He was professional and focused against...
by Todd Lamberth | Dec 3, 2016 | News Slider, Sports
For the third consecutive year, Lipscomb volleyball’s season ended in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Lady Bisons travelled to Manhattan, Kansas to take on fourteenth-ranked Kansas State, where they fell in three sets Friday night. Lipscomb jumped to an early, 8-3 lead in the first set, but the Wildcats were able to rally and even things up to take the set 28-26. The Wildcats would carry that momentum into the second set, where they lead 24-8 before Lipscomb reeled off seven points in a row. Kansas State was able to get the set point, however, taking a two set lead. The Lady Bisons continued battling in the third, but came up short as the Wildcats won the set 26-24 and the match in three sets. Despite being eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament for the seventh time, head coach Brandon Rosenthal was proud of the way the team battled. “This is where we are as a team,” Rosenthal said, “we are playing good teams and good teams are going to make plays. I am not disappointed at all. I loved our fight. I think we took a step forward in coming out and being in a position to win sets. We worked really hard to do that.” While Kansas State was able to sweep the sets, sets one and three were a testament to how close the match actually was. “To be in a match where we have chances to win it is what we always talk about… the opportunities,” Rosenthal said. “I thought we did a great job in one and three. I thought we were really...
by Todd Lamberth | Nov 9, 2016 | News Slider, Sports
Winning one conference championship is impressive for any team, but winning six consecutive championships is almost unprecedented. Coming off of their sixth consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference championship, the Lipscomb women’s cross country team looks to continue their success at the Regional Championships this weekend in Tallahassee, Florida. Cross country head coach Bill Taylor knows that it has been no small feat being at the top of the conference for six straight years. “We’re pretty blessed,” Taylor said. “It kind of hit me more this year even than it did in previous year about how hard it is to keep on winning. The other teams aren’t letting us win. I think the whole conference is getting better trying to get to us.” Their recent success breeds a level of confidence amongst the runners on all teams that inspires them to continue working and striving for championship wins. “In some ways it’s easier because there’s an expectation of winning. We know what we’re out to do, and we believe we can do it because we’ve done it so many times. You do have to keep going out and recruiting great kids and developing them, and I think we do a great job of that. “We do a lot of development. Our runners probably improve more than any program in the country on a regular basis. We look for people that fit Lipscomb really well.” As proud as he is of their Atlantic Sun titles, Coach Taylor knows the program can do more than just win conference championships. “Our goals are actually well beyond the conference level. We haven’t achieved what we want to achieve and...
by Todd Lamberth | Oct 28, 2016 | News Slider, Sports
When Will Brewer took over the Lipscomb golf program in 2012, he wanted to focus on recruiting the players necessary to compete for championships. Fortunately for him, one of those players was already nearby in junior Dawson Armstrong. Armstrong, a 2014 graduate of Lipscomb Academy, has turned the Lipscomb golf program around in his first two years on campus. Last season, the Bisons finished third in the Atlantic Sun Championship, the program’s best-ever finish in the event. The season ended with Lipscomb’s first-ever appearance at a NCAA postseason tournament, where they finished eighth at the Regional Championships in Alabama. Armstrong was rewarded for his efforts as he was named Atlantic Sun Golfer of the Year as a sophomore. Golfing at Lipscomb has become a tradition in the Armstrong family as Dawson has two brothers on the team as well, senior Dowling and freshman Davis. “It’s really special,” Armstrong said. “The fact that I have two brothers that are also on this team is incredible. The idea that we get to bring success from the academy and bring it to the university is really cool.” Armstrong’s influence on the program extends past from team tournaments into individual tournaments. In 2015, Armstrong won the Western Amateur, a tournament that was also won by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson when they were beginners. Armstrong said he uses his play in these tournaments as an opportunity to spread the Lipscomb name. “It’s great for branding,” Armstrong said. “I’m getting noticed as a good player as well as ‘wow, this guy’s from Lipscomb, where is that?’ “No telling how many people I’ve had come...
