Friday, February 17, 2006

Kate Evangelist (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West H.S.) rallied from a set down to post a 3-6, 6-2, 10-5 victory over Bradley's Teri Chan at the third singles spot to help Valparaiso come from behind to defeat the Braves 4-3 on Friday evening at Matchpoint Tennis Club in Griffith, Ind.

The Crusaders, playing most players up in the line-up without Jill Dierberg (Saint Louis, Mo./Lutheran South H.S.), trailed 2-0 before fighting back to record the victory and improve to 2-1 on the season.

The Braves jumped in front in doubles action with wins at both number one and number two. Bradley's Ashley Morris and Elise Montrose posted an 8-3 victory at the top spot over Rachel Janssen (Fort Wayne, Ind./Dwenger H.S.) and Jenny Schwartz (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora H.S.) while Valpo's Charmaine Stanislaw (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville H.S.) and Kim Sajevic (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury H.S.) answered with a win by the identical score at number three. The doubles point was decided when Chan and Kim Braun downed Evangelist and Whitney Chada (Downers Grove, Ill./North H.S.) 8-6 in the middle doubles contest.

Bradley (1-3) made it 2-0 as Morris defeated Chada in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 at second singles. The Crusaders began the comeback with a win by Molly Keifer (Richmond, Ind./Richmond H.S.) at the number six spot. The freshman, playing in her first match of the spring, notched a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Sampias. Janssen then tied the match at two with her 6-2, 6-3 win over Montrose at the top of the lineup.

Stanislaw put the Crusaders on the cusp of a team victory with her 7-5, 6-4 win over Braun at the fourth spot in the lineup. The Braves' Krubeck retied the match at three, rallying from a set down to point a 6-4, 4-6, 12-10 victory at the fifth spot, before Evangelist gave Valpo the victory.

Valparaiso will return to action next Saturday, February 25, as the Crusaders host Toledo at Matchpoint. First serve is set for 4 p.m.