Monday, March 08, 2010

Spearheaded by a sweep of doubles, Valparaiso posted a 5-2 victory over Boston University on Monday morning at Star Island in Orlando, Fla.

The Crusaders came out strong, taking the match’s first point.  Kevin DeHerrera (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) and Michael Woodson (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft H.S.) got the ball rolling, defeating Alex Hallenbeck and Marcus Vanberkel 8-2 at number three doubles.  Adam Whitmer (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview H.S.) and Chris Baum (Charlotte, N.C./Providence H.S.) added an 8-5 win over Jeff Chudacoff and Josh Friedman at the top spot to secure the point.  The two doubles team of Tom Litscher (Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial H.S.) and Arne Deihle (Reutlingen, Germany/Johannes Kepler H.S.) capped the sweep with an 8-6 triumph over Bill Kring and Anders Rathlev.

“We got off to a good, quick start in doubles today,” head coach Jim Daugherty said.  “It helped with the momentum heading into singles.”

Boston University (2-6) tied the match at one as Chudacoff defeated Kyle Stump (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth H.S.) 6-2, 6-0 at the top of the lineup, but the Crusaders responded.  Baum posted a 6-4, 6-1 victory at the third spot against Kring while DeHerrera defeated Alex Green 7-6 (1), 6-2 at number five.  Litscher secured the match win for the Brown and Gold at fourth singles, downing Vanberkel 6-1, 7-6 (5).  Whitmer added a three-set victory at second singles, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 against Hallenbeck before the Terriers’ James Bernstein defeated Siddarth Mehta (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) 7-6 (4), 3-6, 10-3.

“The win is definitely a positive for us,” Daugherty said.  “But as we try to move forward as a team, we have to do a better job of reducing unforced errors.”

Valparaiso (2-5) will return to the courts in Orlando on Monday evening to face Connecticut beginning at 5:30 p.m. CST.