Day two of play saw mixed results for the Valparaiso University men’s tennis team at the Purdue Fall Invitational held in West Lafayette, Ind.

In doubles action, Adam Whitmer (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview H.S.) and Kevin DeHerrera (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) advanced to the finals of the B flight consolation draw after a default in the semifinals, but fell to Christoph Hopfe and Henning Jess of Green Bay 8-2 in the title match.  Hopfe and Jess had defeated Valpo’s Michael Woodson (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft H.S.) and Siddarth Mehta (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) 8-4 in the other semifinal to advance to the championship.

Jose Gaspar (Sao Paulo, Brazil/CEAD H.S.), playing in his first tournament as a Crusader, has advanced to the quarterfinals in the consolation draw of the A flight. Gaspar defeated Hugo Almonte of Morehead State 6-1, 6-4 in the round of 16 before having to retire against Austen Kauss of Iowa in the second set after falling 7-6 (6) in the quarterfinals.  Chris Baum (Charlotte, N.C./Providence H.S.) dropped his round of 16 match in the same draw 6-3, 6-2 to Will Vasos of Iowa.

The B flight saw a pair of Crusaders advance to the consolation quarterfinals.  DeHerrera was a 6-0, 6-2 winner against Nathan Martin of Morehead State in his first match of the day before falling 6-4, 6-4 against John Healey of Case Western.  Eric Honert (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley H.S.), the lone freshman on the roster, earned his first collegiate singles win with a 6-7 (4), 6-2, 15-13 in a match tie-break against Ryan Haines of Case Western.  He then was defeated by Ross Vanderploeg of Western Michigan 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.  Whitmer dropped his round of 16 match to Sean Carr of Case Western 6-4, 6-0.

Kyle Stump (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth H.S.), Valpo’s lone participant remaining in a main draw, dropped a 6-1, 6-2 match against Jami Clark of Vincennes in the round of 16.  In the consolation draw, all three Crusaders won round of 16 contests before falling in the quarterfinals.  Carlton Lyons (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) downed Josh Oothoudt of Green Bay 6-7 (5), 6-4, 10-5 before falling to Paul Smetona of Case Western 6-2, 6-1.  Mehta was a 6-4, 6-0 winner against Michael Wesley of Green Bay before being eliminated by Eric Klawitter of Case Western 7-6 (5), 2-6, 11-9 in a match tie-break.  Woodson topped Morehead State’s Kindred 6-1, 6-0 before falling to Bennis Benalcazar of Dayton 6-4, 6-3.

Valparaiso will return to the Valpo Tennis Complex on Saturday afternoon as the Crusaders host the annual Alumni Tournament as part of Homecoming weekend.  The tournament will begin at 3 p.m.