Saturday, September 17, 2011

The middle day of play at the Hotels at Grand Prairie Classic in Peoria, Ill. featured four doubles matches as well as a singles contest for Valparaiso University as the Crusaders continued action in their season-opening tournament.

Adam Whitmer (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview H.S.) and Chris Baum (Charlotte, N.C./Providence H.S.) earned an 8-2 victory over host Bradley in their second match of the day at the top flight.

Kevin DeHerrera (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) and Eric Honert (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley H.S.) notched an 8-3 triumph in the second flight of doubles against Southern Indiana.

At third doubles, Siddarth Mehta (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) and Michael Woodson (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft H.S.) earned a pair of wins.  The duo defeated Southern Indiana 8-6 and Lewis 8-4.

The final doubles flight saw Carlton Lyons (South Bend, Ind./Clay H.S.) and Egan Hart (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft H.S.) register an 8-3 victory over DePauw.

The Crusaders also earned a couple of singles wins on the day.  Honert needed a match tie-break, but defeated Hamish Weerasinghe of Bradley 6-2, 3-6, 10-6 in the fourth flight.

“Eric really had the match of the day, winning his single match in a tie-break,” head coach Jim Daugherty said.  “He played absolutely fearless.  It was the end of a long day and his fifth match of the day and he really stepped up.”

Woodson also registered a singles win at the sixth flight in a tie-break.  Facing Nathan Lattimer of Southern Indiana, he battled back from a set down to pick up a 5-7, 6-0, 10-6 win.

Valpo will return to action on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for the final day of play in Peoria.