Saturday, April 21, 2012

Siddarth Mehta (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) picked up Valparaiso’s lone point on Saturday afternoon as the Crusaders saw their 2011-2012 season come to a close with a 6-1 loss to UIC at the Valpo Tennis Complex.

Mehta rallied from 9-6 down in the match tie-break to post a 7-5, 4-6, 11-9 win over Rahul Kamath at number five singles.  Valpo also won at second doubles as Kevin DeHerrera (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) and Adam Whitmer (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview H.S.) topped Nate Kirk and Scott Shepardson.

UIC (4-15, 2-5 Horizon) won the other two doubles contests to win the opening point.  Kamath and Alexander Raa defeated Chris Baum (Charlotte, N.C./Providence H.S.) and Eric Honert (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley H.S.) 8-3 at first doubles while Alan Reifer and Gautham Oroskar downed Carlton Lyons (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) and Egan Hart (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft H.S.) 8-1 at the third spot.

In singles play, James Li topped Baum 6-2, 7-6 (4) at number one while Raa defeated Honert 6-0, 6-1 at the second spot.  DeHerrera fell to Reifer 6-2, 6-3 at third singles while Whitmer dropped a 6-1, 6-1 match against Kirk.  Michael Woodson (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft H.S.) fell 6-2, 6-4 at sixth singles against Oroskar.

Valparaiso closed the season 8-14 overall and 0-7 in Horizon League action.  Saturday’s match closed the careers of DeHerrera, Lyons, Mehta, Whitmer, and Woodson, all of whom are seniors.