Facing their third nationally-ranked opponent, the Crusader men fell 6-1 Sunday at the Eck Tennis Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana. 

The Brown and Gold won the first doubles match at No. 2 when Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) defeated Notre Dame's Dougie Barnard/Matt Dooley 8-4.

The Fighting Irish turned the tables with 8-4 wins at No. 1 and 3. Alex Lawson/Billy Pecor beat Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) and Daniel Oakes (Elburn, Ill./Saint Charles North) before Nicolas Montoya/Kenneth Sabacinski doubled up Lucas Waak (Manitowoc, Wis./Roncalli) and Kyle Dunn (Fond du Lac, Wis./Fond du Lac). 

Quentin Monaghan scored the first singles point for Notre Dame when he handed Bacalla a 6-1, 6-4 loss at No. 2.

Emhardt cut into Valpo's deficit at No. 4 singles with a 6-3, 7-5 triumph over Lawson.

ND's Wyatt McCoy extended the home team's lead to 3-1 with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 3 singles over Michael Savaglio (Kenosha, Wis./Mary D. Bradford). 

The Irish clinched the match when Nicolas Montoya outlasted Brian Hickey (Western Springs, Ill./Fenwick) 6-3, 6-3 at No. 6 singles.

Schorsch dropped just his eighth match of the season when Greg Andrews defeated him 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1.

Sabacinski finished off the 6-1 score for Notre Dame via a 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 victory over Dunn at No. 5. 

The Crusaders (16-7, 2-2 Horizon) will meet Chicago State Tuesday before returning to Horizon League play Friday versus Youngstown State.