The 25th time was the charm for the Crusaders.

Valpo entered Saturday's tilt versus Western Michigan 0-24 in the previous 24 meetings. Individual points even came at a premium as the Broncos have historically handled the Brown and Gold with little resistance. But the young Crusaders flipped the script in Kalamazoo as they gutted out a 4-3 win at the West Hills Athletic Club.

"This was one of the biggest wins in our program's history. Our guys had so much energy today. I really can't express how proud I am of them," head coach Jim Daugherty said. 

The two teams split the singles matches, but a strong showing from the doubles teams of Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill./Niles North)/Daniel Oakes (Elburn, Ill./Saint Charles North) and Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg)/Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) catapulted the Crusaders to the statement win.

Bacalla and Oakes edged out Stephen Payne/Nadin Indre 8-5 at No. 1 doubles. The battle at No. 2 doubles went the distance as Schorsch and Emhardt prevailed over Jim Beckwith and Ruben Greiner 7-3 in the tiebreaker of the 8-7 match.

Western Michigan knotted the match up at 1-1 with a Beckwith 6-3, 6-2 win over Savaglio at No. 3 singles.

Schorsch etched his name into Valpo's record book with a 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1 singles. The freshman is now tied for seventh place for singles victories in a season.

Bacalla put Valpo ahead 3-1 at No. 2 singles via a 6-1, 7-6 (11-9) triumph over Greiner. Bacalla is now 8-2 in his last ten singles tilts.

Emhardt clinched the team victory for the Brown and Gold after he handed Pablo Mora a 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-1) defeat at No. 6 singles. 

Matt Hamilton got past freshman Kyle Dunn (Fond du Lac, Wis./Fond du Lac) at No. 5 singles with a 6-4, 6-2 result.

Honert took the first set 6-2 over Andrew Cahn, but Cahn rallied to take the second set 7-5 before squeaking out a 7-6 win in the decisive third set via a 7-5 advantage in the tiebreaker.

Valparaiso (7-2) returns to the court Sunday evening to face #29 Northwestern at 7 pm in Evanston.