Box Score

            Valparaiso wrapped up its spring trip to Orlando, Fla. on Thursday afternoon in impressive fashion, posting its second victory in as many days downing Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 5-2.

            Playing singles first on Thursday, the Crusaders took five out of the six matches.  Tom Litscher (Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial H.S.) started things with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Cole Garrison at the fourth spot while Mike Wagner (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer H.S.) followed with a 6-2, 6-3 victory at third singles.  SIU-Edwardsville (4-3) got on the scoreboard as Paulo Gonzalez topped Mike Shideler (Valparaiso, Ind./Munster H.S.) 7-6 (5), 6-0 at the top spot, but Valpo answered with Kyle Stump’s (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth H.S.) 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Jordan Faulkenberg.  Dan Brunette (Carmel, Ind./Lutheran H.S. of Indianapolis) followed with a 6-1, 7-6 (6) win over Austin Highley at the fifth spot and Alex Lau (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson Senior H.S.) added the fifth point with his third straight singles win, a 4-6, 7-6 (8), 11-9 victory over Robert Young.

            The Cougars took two out of the three doubles matches to close within the final margin.  Mike Jolly and Highley defeated Valpo’s Phidias Fortune (San Antonio, Texas/Madison H.S.) and Danny Lewallen (Wheatfield, Ind./Kankakee Valley H.S.) 8-5 at the third spot.  Litscher and Wagner evened doubles with an 8-5 win over Garrison and Gonzalez at number one before Sanchez and Young topped Brunette and Stump 8-5 at second doubles.

            “This is really a great way to finish the week,” Valpo head coach Jim Daugherty said.  “We are really starting to play much better with each match and it paid off for us today.”

            Valparaiso (2-7) will have two weeks off before the Crusaders outdoor home opener at the Valparaiso University Tennis Complex.  The Brown and Gold will host Bradley on March 29 in a 1 p.m. contest.