Saturday, April 10, 2004

Valparaiso won for the sixth time in seven matches on Saturday morning, including three straight to open Mid-Continent Conference action as the Crusaders swept Oakland 7-0 in Chicago.

The Brown and Gold opened by securing the doubles point as Mara Sonkin (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South H.S.) and Whitney Chada (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North H.S.) posted an 8-3 triumph at the top spot. Monika Danko (Northfield, Ill./New Trier H.S.) and Christina Scala (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South H.S.) won second doubles 8-2.

In singles play, Sonkin posted a 6-2, 7-5 win at the top spot, while Jill Dierberg (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran South H.S.) was a 6-0, 6-3 winner at second singles. Danko needed a super tie-break but notched a 2-6, 6-1, 10-6 victory in the third slot, while Chada tallied a 6-2, 6-2 win at fourth singles. Scala breezed to a 6-0, 6-0 win in fifth singles, while Kate Evangelist (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West H.S.) rounded out play with an easy 6-0, 6-2 win in sixth singles.

Valpo (7-5, 3-0 Mid-Con) will return to action on Sunday morning to battle Centenary at 9 a.m. in Chicago. With the loss, Oakland falls to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in league play.