Valparaiso dropped a 5-2 decision to future Horizon League opponent Butler on Friday afternoon at Matchpoint Tennis Club in Griffith, Ind.

Butler (8-9) opened winning the doubles point. Mike Wagner (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer H.S.) and David Bukowski (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect H.S.) tallied an 8-5 victory for Valpo at third doubles, but the Bulldogs managed wins at both the first and second spot. Sandy Berry and Eric Breitenbach defeated Alex Lau (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson Senior H.S.) and Mike Shideler (Valparaiso, Ind./Munster H.S.) 8-5 at the top of the lineup while James Low and Ben Raynauld were 8-3 victors over Nic Kooyers (Holland, Mich./Holland H.S.) and Joe Venegas (Saint Charles, Ill./North H.S.) at second doubles.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to 3-0 as Berry defeated Shideler 6-3, 6-0 at fourth singles and Low registered a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Kooyers at number one singles. Bukowski put Valpo on the board with his 6-4, 6-1 triumph at fifth singles against Scott Newmark. Raynauld added another victory for Butler at third singles with his 7-5, 7-5 win over Lau. In the final match of the day, at sixth singles, tie-breakers were needed for every set. Wagner picked up the final win for Valpo with his 7-6 (2), 6-7 (3), 12-10 victory over Sam Brown.

Valparaiso (3-11) will return to the courts on Tuesday, April 10 as the Crusaders host another future Horizon League foe, UIC. First serve is set for 3 p.m. at the Valparaiso University Tennis Complex.