Thursday, April 05, 2007

For the first time since 2003, Valparaiso dropped a Mid-Continent Conference regular season match on Thursday afternoon, as the Crusaders fell 6-0 to Oral Roberts in Las Vegas, Nev.

Valpo had won 30 consecutive Mid-Con matches dating back to the spring 2003 league opener against IUPUI.

The Golden Eagles jumped in front with the doubles point. Paige McKinney and Hayden Rush downed the Crusaders' Kate Evangelist (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West H.S.) and Whitney Chada(Downers Grove, Ill./North H.S.) 8-3 at the second spot. Oral Roberts' Emily Arkell and Tayler Pippen notched a win at first doubles by the identical score over achel Janssen (Fort Wayne, Ind./Dwenger H.S.) and Julie Wingstrom (Wolcotville, Ind./Westview H.S.). Oral Roberts completed the doubles sweep at the third slot, with Rafaela Souza and Debbie Skinstad defeating Jenny Schwartz(Aurora, Ill./West Aurora H.S.) and Kim Sajevic (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury H.S.) in a tie-break 8-7 (7).

Oral Roberts (8-10, 5-0 Mid-Con) won four of the singles matches in straight sets. McKinney defeated Evangelist 6-3, 6-1 at the second spot while Arkell downed Janssen 6-2, 6-4 at the top of the lineup. The Golden Eagles clinched the win as Rush posted a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Chada at fourth singles. Corrine Langston earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at sixth singles over Lindsey Gustafson (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) while Souza needed a tie-break for the third set to defeat Schwartz 1-6, 7-5, 10-5. Pippen led Sajevic 7-5, 1-4 at third spot when the match was halted.

Valparaiso (6-8, 0-1) will be in Mid-Con action twice on Friday in Las Vegas. At 11 a.m. CDT the Crusaders will battle Oakland before facing IUPUI at 4 p.m. CDT.