Sunday, April 24, 2005

Valparaiso finished in second place in the Mid-Continent Conference regular season following the Crusaders' 4-0 victory over UMKC on Sunday morning in Macomb, Ill.

In a battle between two teams tied in the standings, Valpo opened with a win in doubles action. Ben Dunham-Freer (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands H.S.) and Tim Shideler (Valparaiso, Ind./Munster H.S.) won 8-4 at the top spot while Nic Kooyers (Holland, Mich./Holland H.S.) and Shabbi Khan (Karachi, Pakistan/Oasys H.S.) posted the same score at second doubles. Joe Venegas (Saint Charles, Ill./North H.S.) and David Bukowski (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect H.S.) trailed 8-7 at third doubles when their match was stopped.

The Crusaders then captured the match in singles play. Kooyers won 6-4, 6-0 at second singles while Venegas was a 6-0, 6-4 victor at the third spot. Shideler posted a 6-4, 6-0 triumph at fourth singles and Dunham-Freer led 7-5, 1-0 when his match was stopped. Fifth and sixth singles were never started because the match was decided.

Valparaiso (8-12, 5-1 Mid-Con) will face UMKC (5-9, 4-2) against Thursday in the semifinals of the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament held in Indianapolis, Ind.