Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Valparaiso concluded its spring trip in Las Vegas, Nev. on Wednesday dropping a 6-1 decision to Colorado State.

The Rams jumped in front in doubles play but Valpo kept the singles matches close before dropping the contest.

Colorado State (7-5) posted 8-1 victories at both first and third doubles. The Rams' Emily Kirchem and Anne Anderson downed Rachel Janssen (Fort Wayne, Ind./Dwenger H.S.) and Jenny Schwartz (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora H.S.) at number one while Sarah Seltsam and Jasmin Singh defeated Charmaine Stanislaw (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville H.S.) and Jill Dierberg (Saint Louis, Mo./Lutheran South H.S.). Valpo's Whitney Chada (Downers Grove, Ill./North H.S.) and Kate Evangelist (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West H.S.) fell to Lauren Strasburger and Carla Pallares 8-3 in the second spot.

In singles play, Valpo's Kim Sajevic (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury H.S.) rallied from a set down to give the Crusaders' their lone win at sixth singles 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 over Seltsam. Janssen also battled to a third set tie-break against Kirchem at the top of the lineup before falling 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Colorado State won the second through fifth singles all in straight sets. Anderson downed Dierberg 6-2, 6-0 and Strasburger defeated Chada 6-4, 6-3. Pallares was a 6-1, 6-0 winner over Evangelist at the fourth spot and Singh posted a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Stanislaw.

Valparaiso (4-5) will look to snap its three-match losing skid when the Crusaders return to the courts on March 25 at Illinois State. The match is slated to begin at 3 p.m. in Bloomington, Ill.