Sunday, January 29, 2006

Valparaiso won the doubles point against Purdue on the road in West Lafayette, Ind. on Sunday morning before the Boilermakers rallied in singles play to defeat the Crusaders 6-1.

Valpo started the match strong against their Big Ten foes, taking matches at both first and second doubles to earn the early lead. Nic Kooyers (Holland, Mich./Holland H.S.) and Mike Shideler (Valparaiso, Ind./Munster H.S.) posted an 8-5 triumph at the top spot while Mike Wagner (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer H.S.) and Dave Bukowski (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect H.S.) were 8-6 victors at number two to seal the point. Joe Venegas (Saint Charles, Ill./North H.S.) and Alex Lau (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson Senior H.S.) fell 8-4 in their third doubles match.

In singles play, Kooyers continued his strong play from doubles at number one, falling in a first set tie-break 7-6 (9-7). He dropped the second set 6-3. Purdue (1-0) won in straight sets in every singles match as Venegas dropped his number two match 6-1, 6-2 and Shideler fell 6-3, 6-0 at number three. At fourth singles, Wagner was a 6-1, 6-0 victim while Bukowski was defeated 6-2, 6-2 at number five. Lau fell 6-1, 6-2 at the bottom of the lineup.

Valpo (0-2) will return to the courts on Saturday afternoon as the Brown and Gold travel to Kalamazoo, Mich. to battle Western Michigan. First serve is set for 3 p.m. CST.