Valparaiso’s men’s tennis team dropped all three singles matches at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships held at Eck Tennis Pavillion in Notre Dame, Ind. on Thursday.

Playing in the round of 64 of the qualifying singles draw, the Crusaders were unable to pull off a set on the way to the end of the singles campaign for this fall.

“We did not play well today at all,” head coach Jim Daugherty said.  “I think we did all we could leading up to the tournament to prepare ourselves, however I think the nerves got to us.”

Jose Gaspar (Sao Paulo, Brazil/CEAD H.S.) fell 6-0, 6-0 in the Crusaders’ first match of the day against Rob Fox of Cleveland State.  Chris Baum (Charlotte, N.C./Providence H.S.) dropped a 6-4, 6-0 decision against John Stratton of Michigan State while Kevin DeHerrera (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield H.S.) lost 6-3, 6-0 against Tommy Calderone of Western Michigan.

The Crusaders will return to the courts on Friday for doubles action in the main draw.  Gaspar and Baum will face the number 10 seed from Notre Dame while DeHerrera and Kyle Stump (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth H.S.) will battle a duo from Michigan State.