Valparaiso capped off a 4-0 start in Mid-Continent Conference play on Sunday morning to remain in sole possession of first place in the league standings with a 6-1 victory over Oakland in Shreveport, La.

With the victory, the Crusaders extend their regular season conference winning streak to 26 straight matches dating back to the 2003 season.

The Brown and Gold got things rolling in doubles action. Rachel Janssen (Fort Wayne, Ind./Dwenger H.S.) and Kim Sajevic (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury H.S.) posted an 8-3 win over Teuta Lulgjuraj and Lisa Pellafone at the top of the lineup while Whitney Chada (Downers Grove, Ill./North H.S.) and Kate Evangelist (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West H.S.) were 8-5 victors over Michelle Maxfield and Amanda Scheer at the second spot. Jill Dierberg (Saint Louis, Mo./Lutheran North H.S.) and Charmaine Stanislaw (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville H.S.) rounded out the sweep with an 8-2 win over Angela Trecola and Lauren Sanchez-Murphy.

The Crusaders the won four singles matches in straight sets to secure the victory. Stanislaw started things off with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Trecola at fifth singles and Evangelist followed with a win by the same score against Maxfield at the fourth spot. Janssen the clinched the win with her 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Pellafone at the top of the lineup. Sajevic won 6-2, 6-1 to make it 5-0 Valpo at sixth singles against Jessica Erickson while Chada needed a third set super tie-break to win at third singles 6-2, 4-6, 10-2 against Scheer. Oakland (4-7, 2-1 Mid-Con) garnered its lone win at second singles as lulgjuraj defeated Dierberg 6-3, 2-6, 10-8.

Valparaiso (9-6, 4-0) has now won five straight matches overall and will return to action on Thursday evening as the Crusaders travel to East Lansing, Mich. to face Big Ten foe Michigan State. First serve is set for 5 p.m. CDT.