Valparaiso returned north to open Horizon League action on Saturday afternoon at the Northwest Athletic Club in Michigan City, Ind., dropping a 5-2 decision to Butler.

Eric Honert (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley H.S.) and Adam Whitmer (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview H.S.) both registered singles wins for the Crusaders at the afternoon.  Honert defeated Tommy Marx 7-5, 6-3 at the second spot for his sixth straight triumph to improve to 16-5 in singles action this season.  Whitmer posted his fourth straight victory, a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over Zach Ervin at the fourth spot.

“Eric and Adam are both playing really well right now for us,” head coach Jim Daugherty said.  “They both played great matches again today.”

Austin Woldmoe posted a number one singles win for Butler (2-13, 1-0 Horizon) against Chris Baum (Charlotte, N.C./Providence H.S.) 7-5, 6-3 while Pulok Bhattacharya was a 6-1, 6-1 winner over Kevin DeHerrera (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) at number three.  Billy Weldon defeated Siddarth Mehta (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) 6-0, 6-1 at five while Sam O’Neill added a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Michael Woodson (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft H.S.) at the sixth spot.

Honert and DeHerrera notched Valpo’s lone win in doubles, an 8-3 decision over Marx and Ervin at number two, but the Bulldogs won the other two matches for the day’s opening point.  Baum and Whitmer fell at one 8-5 to Weldon and Woldmoe while Woodson and Mehta dropped an 8-1 match to Bhattacharya and O’Neill at the third spot.

Valparaiso (6-6, 0-1) will return to the Valpo Tennis Complex on Sunday afternoon to face Wright State.  First serve is slated for 2 p.m.