The Crusaders boosted their record to 4-1 on the young season Saturday at the Courts of NWI. The Brown and Gold recorded a 7-0 shutout over Marian University in the morning tilt before handing Grace College a similar result in the latter half of the twin bill.

The doubles teams of Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill./Niles North)/Daniel Oakes (Elburn, Ill./Saint Charles North) and Kyle Dunn (Fond du Lac, Wis./Fond du Lac)/Michael Baiocchi (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) both registered 6-1 wins at No. 1 and No. 3, respectively.

Marian's Danny Albert and Ryan Heuer tripped up Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg)/Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) at No. 2 doubles, taking a tight 6-5 (8-6) decision.

Valpo rolled to straight set wins at each singles spot save for No. 5. Sophomore Lucas Waak (Manitowoc, Wis./Roncalli) rebounded after dropping the first set to claim a dramatic 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 victory.

Playing at No. 1 singles, Schorsch downed Jason Denton 6-3, 6-1. The freshman improved his individual record to 12-5. Later in the day, Bacalla joined Schorsch with 12 wins. Both rookies are four singles victories away from cracking Valpo's top ten list for individual wins in a season.

Michael Savaglio (Kenosha, Wis./Mary D. Bradford) won a narrow first set 6-5 (7-3) over Albert at No. 2 before rolling 6-1 in the second set en route to his tenth singles victory on the season.

Eric Honert (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley) met little resistance from Jack Hiatt, as Valpo's all-time winningest singles player was triumphant 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3.

Dunn defeated Marty Pochop 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4. Sophomore Brian Hickey (Western Springs, Ill./Fenwick) also prevailed in straight sets 6-5 (7-0), 6-0 at No. 6 singles.

Valpo kept its foot on the accelerator in the afternoon match versus Grace College. The Crusaders surrendered no more than three games in any set in the 7-0 victory over the Lancers.

Bacalla/Oakes repeated with another 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles. Schorsch and Emhardt redeemed themselves with a 6-1 triumph over Jack Wang and Ethan Grove at No. 2, clinching the doubles point. Honert and Waak added a 6-3 win at No. 3 for good measure.

Baiocchi quickly defeated Grove 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6 singles before Waak handed Ricardo Bedon the same 6-1, 6-0 loss at No. 5.

The Crusaders mathematically secured the match when Honert beat Wang 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 singles.

At No. 1, Bacalla downed Daniel Sanchez 6-2, 6-1. Savaglio also remained perfect on the day thanks to a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Jose Marval at No. 2.

Emhardt got past Jake Stump 6-3, 6-2 to make it a clean sweep for the Brown and Gold.

Valpo (4-1) will rest up before making a quick turnaround tomorrow when it hosts the Dayton Flyers (1-3) Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm inside The Courts of NWI.