The Valpo men's tennis team opened Horizon League play Saturday with a decisive 6-1 win over visiting Northern Kentucky at The Courts of NWI.

The Crusaders ran roughshod over the Norse in doubles play, securing wins at all three flights.

#75 Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) and Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) were 6-1 winners atop doubles action in their showdown versus Nick Lang/Jody Maginley. Chad Kissell (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) and Kyle Dunn (Fond du Lac, Wis./Fond du Lac) grabbed the doubles point following their 6-1 defeat of Court Clark and Lukas Clemens at No. 3. Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) and Garrett Gardner (Poland, Ohio/Poland) doubled up Mate Virag/Adrian Isache, 6-3, at No. 2.

With today's victories, Valpo has clinched the doubles point in all ten of its home tilts.

The Brown and Gold rolled to five wins in singles play.

Dunn improved his record at No. 6 singles to 6-2 after he dealt Nick Lang a 6-3, 6-3 loss. Emhardt dispatched Clark by a count of 7-5, 6-2 at No. 4 to give Valpo a 3-0 lead.

Kissell captured his 21st singles victory of the season with a 6-2, 6-4 result at No. 3 versus Isache to clinch the match.

No. 5 singles saw Gardner rattle off his fourth consecutive triumph in singles play by virtue of his 6-2, 6-4 dismissal of Carr. Gardner is 10-1 over his last eleven singles matches.

Schorsch downed Virag, the two-time Horizon League Player of the Week, at No. 1 by a 6-4, 6-3 count.

Maginley recorded NKU's lone point on the afternoon as he defeated Bacalla, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 2 singles. 

Valpo (15-5, 1-0 Horizon) will next face the defending Horizon League champion Green Bay Phoenix (8-5, 1-0 Horizon) next weekend in Wisconsin. First serve from the Western Racquet & Fitness Club is scheduled for Saturday, April 9th at 12:00 pm.