Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Valparaiso posted its third consecutive victory and sixth win in its last eight matches on Wednesday afternoon as the Crusaders defeated IPFW 6-1 at the Valparaiso University Tennis Complex.

The Crusaders opened strong in doubles play, sweeping all three matches in convincing fashion. Nic Kooyers (Holland, Mich./Holland H.S.) and Mike Shideler (Valparaiso, Ind./Munster H.S.) were 8-2 victors over Nabil Mourad Filho and Landry Nzudie at the top of the lineup while Alex Lau (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson Senior H.S.) and Dan Brunette (Carmel H.S. of Indianapolis) clinched the point with an 8-4 win over Nathan Jones and Daniel Jackson at third doubles. Lau and Brunette improved their doubles mark to 6-2 on the year with the win. Mike Wagner (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer H.S.) and Dave Bukowski (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect H.S.) completed the sweep with their 8-3 win over Carlos Gonzalez and Arturo Salgado in the second spot.

The Brown and Gold then took charge early in singles to secure the victory. Joe Venegas (Saint Charles, Ill./North H.S.) started things off with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Mourad Filho at second singles and Kooyers notched a 6-1, 6-3 win at the top of the order against Nzudie to put Valpo on the brink of victory. Senior Evan Roller (Canton, Mich./Plymouth Salem H.S.), playing in his first match of the season, clinched the win with his 6-0, 7-6 (4) triumph over Jones at sixth singles.

Bukowski added a straight sets victory 6-1, 6-3 against Arturo Salgado at fifth singles to keep things rolling and Wagner added a 7-6 (4), 2-6, 10-2 win over Gonzalez in the third spot in a third set super tie-break. IPFW (8-12) earned its lone point at fourth singles as Hermann Kuschke rallied from a set down to defeat Shideler 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.

Valparaiso (6-8) will now head to Tulsa, Okla. to open Mid-Continent Conference action on Friday afternoon. The first of two league clusters will see the Crusaders open with Chicago State at 2 p.m.