Saturday, April 03, 2004

Valparaiso's men's tennis team snapped an eight-match losing skid with a convincing 7-0 victory over Chicago State on Saturday afternoon in Shreveport, La.

The Crusaders earned victories at third doubles and sixth singles by default, so they needed just one of two doubles contests to earn the first point of the match.

Valpo won both doubles contests though, as Ben Dunham-Freer (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands H.S.) and Jeff Vrabel (Allen Park, Mich./St. Francis Cabrini H.S.) notched an 8-1 win and Nic Kooyers (Holland, Mich./Holland H.S.) and Joe Venegas (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North H.S.) were 8-2 victors.

With the 2-0 lead after doubles and the singles default, the Crusaders went to work in singles play. Jay Adams (Detroit, Mich./Andover H.S.) earned point three with a 6-0, 6-0 win at fifth singles, while Vrabel clinched the victory with a 6-0, 6-1 win at the fourth spot. Kooyers also won in straight sets with a 6-0, 6-1 triumph at second singles, while Dunham-Freer and Venegas needed super tie-breaks to win their matches. Dunham-Freer posted a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-3, 10-5 win at the top spot, while Venegas hung on for a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 10-8 win at the third slot in the order.

Valpo (3-12, 1-1 Mid-Con) will close out the weekend cluster on Sunday morning with a 9 a.m. match against Western Illinois in Shreveport. Chicago State falls to 0-13, 0-3 in conference play.