It's been nearly four years since the last time the men's tennis team recorded a win in Horizon League play. 1,435 days and 21 matches later, Valpo erupted for a 7-0 triumph over the UIC Flames at The Courts of NWI. In the process, freshmen Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) extended their double-digit win streaks in singles play.

"From top to bottom, this was a tremendous team win today. Our guys have worked very hard to get to this point. They deserved this," head coach Jim Daugherty said.

The Crusaders won the doubles point decisively with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Schorsch and Emhardt dispatched Alan Reifer/Isaac Lloveras 8-4 at No. 2 for the point after Eric Honert (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley)/Lucas Waak (Manitowoc, Wis./Roncalli) handed Alexander Raa and Nate Campanile an 8-3 loss at No. 3.

Sophomore Michael Savaglio (Kenosha, Wis./Mary D. Bradford) matched his mark of sixteen singles victories set last year with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Carl Hedstrom at No. 3 singles.

Freshman Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) kept the madness going for Valparaiso with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Reifer. Bacalla is now 19-5 in singles play on the year.

The Brown and Gold clinched the match at No. 6 singles thanks to Emhardt's tenth win in a row, a 6-2, 7-5 triumph over Eric Pontow.

Schorsch was victorious for the eleventh consecutive singles match at No. 1 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Raa.

Honert rallied to beat Lloveras 3-6, 6-3, 10-4 at No. 4. The senior's fifth straight win boosted his singles record to the .500 mark (13-13).

Freshman Kyle Dunn (Fond du Lac, Wis./Fond du Lac) capped things off with a 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-0) victory over Maurizio Feoli at No. 5. 

Valpo (14-3, 1-0 Horizon) will put its seven-match winning streak on the line tomorrow at DePaul (5-9, 2-1 Big East). The Crusaders and Blue Demons face off at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness at 3 pm CT.