Box Score

            Kim Sajevic (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury H.S.) won for the second straight day and Molly Keifer (Richmond, Ind./Richmond H.S.) also posted a singles victory but Bradley spoiled Valparaiso’s home opener defeating the Crusaders 5-2 at Matchpoint on Saturday evening.

            Sajevic, who earned a second singles win against Ball State on Friday, defeated the Braves’ Jessica Buterbaugh 6-3, 6-1 on Saturday night.  Her win, followed by Keifer’s 6-2, 6-4 victory at third singles against Kelly Donohue evened the match at 2-2, but Bradley won the final three contests to earn the victory.

            Bradley (1-1) won all three doubles matches to begin the day.  Buterbaugh and Donohue were 8-6 winners over Keifer and Jenny Schwartz (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora H.S.) at the top spot while Nicole Miller and Emily Regenold topped Sajevic and Julie Wingstrom (Dallas Lake, Ind./Westview H.S.) 9-7 at number two doubles.  Erin Krubeck and Kim Braun notched an 8-4 win over Lindsey Gustafson (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) and Laura Lawson (Thorntown, Ind./Western Boone H.S.) at the bottom of the lineup.

            Braun then downed Christine Antrobus (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead H.S.) 6-1, 6-2 at sixth singles to put the Braves in front 2-0 before the two Crusader victories.  Krubeck then topped Gustafson 6-1, 6-2 at the fourth spot and Regenold beat Schwartz 6-2, 6-4 at number one to clinch the victory.  Miller also downed Wingstrom 7-5, 6-3.

            “I continue to see progress with this team,” head coach Jay Adams said.  “Everyone worked hard.  Doubles was very close and if we had won that point I think the outcome could have been different.”

            Valparaiso (0-3) now has a month off before returning to the courts on March 11 to face Connecticut in Orlando, Fla. to kick-off the spring trip.