Sunday, April 15, 2012

Valparaiso continued Horizon League action on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 7-0 match to Cleveland State at the South Bend Racquet Club in South Bend, Ind.

Cleveland State (9-10, 3-2 Horizon) jumped on top early by sweeping the opening doubles point.  Nolan Marks and Ali Shabib defeated Chris Baum (Charlotte, N.C./Providence H.S.) and Eric Honert (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley H.S.) 8-6 at number one singles while Matt Ford and Yannick Goossens were 8-5 victors over Adam Whitmer (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview H.S.) and Kevin DeHerrera (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) at the second spot.  At third doubles, Matt Kuelker and Jorg Van Der Vloet defeated Michael Woodson (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft H.S.) and Carlton Lyons (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) 8-2.

The Crusaders forced two singles matches to third sets before dropping each contest.  Baum fell 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7), 10-6 against Goossens at the top of the order while Whitmer dropped a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 at fourth singles against Shabib.  Honert fell 6-1, 7-6 (4) against Kuelker at the second spot while DeHerrera lost to Marks 6-1, 6-4 at number three.  Woodson fell 6-2, 6-1 against Van Der Vloet at fifth singles while Lyons suffered  a 6-1, 6-1 setback against Ford in the sixth spot.

Valparaiso (7-13, 0-6) will continue its final homestand of the season on Wednesday afternoon, hosting Aquinas.  First serve is slated for 3 p.m. at the Valpo Tennis Complex.