Sunday, February 18, 2007

Valparaiso rallied after dropping the doubles point to win five out of the six singles matches and post a 5-2 victory over IPFW on Sunday afternoon in Fort Wayne, Ind.

The Mastodons took doubles winning the deciding match in a tie-break. Valpo won the first doubles match 8-6 at the second spot as Whitney Chada (Downers Grove, Ill./North H.S.) and Jenny Schwartz (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora H.S.) defeated Sachi Janek and Alexa Rang. IPFW (5-8) won at third doubles by the score of 8-5, setting up the decisive first doubles contest. The Mastodons' Ashley Coulson and Stacy Lish needed a tie-break, but in the end downed Rachel Janssen (Fort Wayne, Ind./Dwenger H.S.) and Kate Evangelist (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West H.S.) 9-8 (8).

Valpo took control in singles though, winning four matches in straight sets. Janssen started off with a 6-2, 6-2 win at the top of the order while Evangelist followed with a 6-0, 7-5 victory at number two singles. Sajevic needed three sets but rallied for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 victory at the third spot and Schwartz clinched the match with a 6-3, 6-4 fifth singles win. After IPFW won at fourth singles, Lindsey Gustafson (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) registered a 6-1, 6-0 victory at the sixth spot to close out the contest.

Valparaiso (4-2) has won back-to-back matches and will return to action on Saturday as the Crusaders head to Kalamazoo, Mich. for a 5 p.m. CST match with Western Michigan.