Friday, April 06, 2007

Valparaiso earned a 4-0 victory over Oakland in the first match of the day on Friday, but dropped a close 4-3 decision to IUPUI in the afternoon on the second day of Mid-Continent Conference cluster action in Las Vegas, Nev.

In the morning match against Oakland, the Crusaders started winning the doubles point in thrilling fashion. Kate Evangelist (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West H.S.) and Whitney Chada (Downers Grove, Ill./North H.S.) defeated Jessica Erickson and Lauren Sanchez-Murphy 8-3 at second doubles to begin. Oakland's (1-8, 0-3 Mid-Con) Michelle Maxfield and Gabrielle Gogas even doubles at one with their 8-6 win over Kim Sajevic (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury H.S.) and Jenny Schwartz (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora H.S.) at the third spot. Valpo pulled out the opening point with their tie-break win at first doubles as Rachel Janssen (Fort Wayne, Ind./Dwenger H.S.) and Julie Wingstrom (Wolcotville, Ind./Westview H.S.) topped Amanda Scheer and Teuta Lulgjuraj 9-8 (2).

Valpo had an easier time in singles. Evangelist cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Scheer at the second spot while Janssen won 6-4, 6-0 against Lulgjuraj at number one. Sajevic clinched the Crusader victory with her 6-2, 6-2 win over Maxfield at third singles. Chada led 2-1 in the first set against Erickson at fourth singles when the match was stopped while fifth and sixth singles were not started.

In the afternoon match against IUPUI (9-3, 2-0), the Jaguars jumped in front winning the doubles point. The Crusaders' Schwartz and Sajevic defeated Jessie Ritchie and Tessa Williams 8-4 at third doubles, but that would be the only doubles contest the Brown and Gold would win. Jessica Petersson and Allison Thompson notched an 8-4 victory at the top spot against Janssen and Wingstrom while Nikki Evans and Andrea Burkhardt defeated Chada and Evangelist 9-7 at the second spot.

Valpo notched singles wins at three, four, and five, but it would not be enough. Sajevic came from behind to win in three sets against Burkhardt 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at third singles while Chada was a 6-4, 6-4 victor against Williams in the fourth spot. Schwartz won in straight sets 7-5, 7-5 against Thompson at fifth singles for the Crusaders. Janssen dropped a 7-6 (5), 6-3 decision to Petersson at the top while Evangelist dropped a three-set match to Ritchie 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Lindsey Gustafson (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) fell at sixth singles 6-4, 6-4 against Evans.

Valparaiso (7-9, 1-2) will finish their first Mid-Con cluster on Saturday with an 11 a.m. CDT match against Southern Utah in Las Vegas.