The Crusader women met the Broncs on Friday afternoon at the Courts of NWI for the first match of the weekend. In what would end up being a 6-1 defeat for the Crusaders, Paige Heuer (Munster, Ind./Munster) would win her second straight match in No.3 singles to capture Valparaiso’s lone point of the match.  

UTPA was able to sweep Valparaiso in doubles play, taking a one-nil advantage into singles play. The No.1 doubles pairing of Kristin Zakiewicz (Bristol, Ind./Northridge) and Kaitlyn Hamel (Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain) did not go down without a fight, however. The Crusader pairing was able to level the match at 7-7, but would lose the super tie-breaker by a score of 7-2. From there, the No.2 doubles pairing of Heuer and Megan Barthels (Green Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central), as well as the No.3 doubles pairing of Michele Fredlake (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph’s) and Morgan Paras (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) would each drop their respective matches to their UPTA counterparts.

Heuer provided Valparaiso its lone point of the match in No.3 singles. In her second straight victory, the talented freshman was able to win the first set 7-6 (8-6), before dropping her second set 2-6. Heuer would rise to the occasion in the third set, however, outlasting UTPA’s Mariana Ranzahuer by a score of 10-7 to take the match for the Crusaders.

In No.2 singles, Zakiewicz nearly claimed the first set of the match, but would come up shy in a 6-4 loss. UTPA’s Wanda Beguelin would then take the second set 6-2 to win the match. Hamel, Fredlake, and Paras would each drop their matches by a 6-1, 6-0 result, in No.1, No.5, and No.6 singles. Barthels was unable to secure a second point for Valparaiso in No.4 singles, losing the match 6-0, 6-1.

The Crusader women will have little time for rest before returning to the court, as the team is set to take on IPFW tomorrow at the Courts of NWI. Doubles play is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.