Box Score

            Christine Antrobus (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead H.S.) won the decisive match in three sets on Saturday afternoon as Valparaiso won its home opener 4-3 against Oakland at the Valparaiso University Tennis Complex.

            The freshman rallied after dropping the opening set to post a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Rebecca Hopkins at sixth singles as the Crusaders won for the second time in their last three outings on a cold, blustery afternoon.

            Valpo started strong in doubles to take the opening point.  Oakland (1-7) won at the second spot as Amanda Scheer and Gabrielle Gogas defeated Kim Sajevic (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury H.S.) and Julie Wingstrom (Dallas Lake, Ind./Westview H.S.) 8-6.  Valpo’s Lindsey Gustafson (Naperville, Ill./Benet Academy) and Laura Lawson (Thorntown, Ind./Western Boone H.S.) evened doubles with an 8-6 victory over Jackie Dinicu and Hopkins.  Jenny Schwartz (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora H.S.) and Molly Keifer (Richmond, Ind./Richmond H.S.) clinched the point with a win by the same score at number one doubles against Michelle Maxfield and Lindsay Grimmer.

            Valpo extended the lead in singles as Wingstrom beat Dinicu 6-4, 6-2 at the fifth spot and Gustafson downed Gogas by the same score at number four singles to put the Crusaders one point away from victory.  Oakland fought back, as Scheer defeated Schwartz 6-4, 6-1 at second singles and Maxfield topped Keifer 6-3, 6-3 at the third spot.  Grimmer tied the match for the Golden Grizzlies at number one singles with a  6-3, 5-7, 6-2 three-set victory over Sajevic, setting the stage for the final contest.

            “We have worked hard the last couple of weeks and it is beginning to pay off,” head coach Jay Adams said.  “It was good to be playing at home even in the cold and I’m glad we could pull off the win.”

            Valparaiso (2-5) will return to the courts on Tuesday afternoon as the Crusaders host IPFW.  First serve is set for 3 p.m. at the Valparaiso University Tennis Complex.