Sunday, April 09, 2006

Valparaiso saw its five-match winning streak come to an end on Sunday morning as the Crusaders dropped a tight 4-3 decision to Oral Roberts in Tulsa, Okla. in a battle of the two remaining unbeatens in conference play.

Unlike the last two days where Valpo rallied to win the deciding match, on Sunday the tables were turned as Oral Roberts (6-11, 3-0 Mid-Con) rebounded after losing doubles to record the victory. The Golden Eagles' Patrick Guilliod outlasted Mike Wagner (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer H.S.) in three sets 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the deciding third singles contest.

Valpo opened by winning the doubles point for the first time all weekend. Nic Kooyers (Holland, Mich./Holland H.S.) and Mike Shideler (Valparaiso, Ind./Munster H.S.) topped Tyrone Hill and Cuan Farquharson 8-4 at number one doubles while Alex Lau (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson Senior H.S.) and Dan Brunette (Carmel, Ind./Lutheran H.S. of Indianapolis were 8-3 victors over Eddie Paez and Guilliod at the third spot. Oral Roberts' Clemons Geercken and Alex Dargel led Wagner and Dave Bukowski (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect H.S.) 7-4 when the second doubles contest was stopped.

In singles play, Oral Roberts tied it at one as Farquharson topped Shideler 6-4, 6-2 at fourth singles. Valpo retook the lead 2-1 as Lau defeated Paez 6-3, 6-0 at the bottom of the lineup but Geercken quickly tied it with his win 6-3, 7-5 over Bukowski at the fifth spot. Dargel put the Golden Eagles on the verge of victory with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Joe Venegas (Saint Charles, Ill./North H.S.) at second singles only to see Kooyers top Hill 7-6, 6-2 to set up the final match at third singles. For Kooyers, he remains perfect in Mid-Con action at the top of the lineup this season.

Valparaiso (8-9, 2-1) will host a conference cluster next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the Valparaiso University Tennis Complex. The Crusaders will begin the weekend play against Centenary on Thursday morning beginning at 9 a.m.