Friday, April 09, 2004

Valparaiso won the doubles point and took three of the six singles matches to defeat UMKC 4-3 in a pivotal Mid-Continent Conference match on Friday morning at Portage High School.

Ben Dunham-Freer (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands H.S.) and Jeff Vrabel (Allen Park, Mich./St. Francis Cabrini H.S.) teamed for an 8-6 win at first doubles. After UMKC won third doubles 9-7, Nic Kooyers (Holland, Mich./Holland H.S.) and Joe Venegas (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North H.S.) secured the point with an 8-6 triumph at the second spot.

In singles play, Vrabel cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 win at the fourth spot, and Kooyers followed it up with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at second singles. Dunham-Freer then secured the point with his 6-4, 6-3 victory at the top spot. With the Crusaders leading 4-0, UMKC (3-11, 1-3 Mid-Con) posted wins at third and sixth singles in a super tie-break and a three-set victory at fifth singles.

Valparaiso (5-13, 2-2) has now won three out of its last four matches and will return to action on Saturday morning with a 9 a.m. match against first place IUPUI at Portage High School.

In other matches at the Valpo cluster, IUPUI defeated Oral Roberts 4-3, UMKC downed Centenary 6-1, and Western Illinois swept Chicago State 7-0.