Stephanie York (Elkhart, Ind./Jimtown H.S.) won in straight sets for Valparaiso and the Crusaders went three sets in three other singles matches, but Kalamazoo came away with an 8-1 victory over the Brown and Gold Saturday morning at the Markin Center in Kalamazoo, Mich.

York posted a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Jenna Riehl at the fourth spot in the Crusader order to earn her first victory of the 2011 spring season.

“We played a pretty good match overall,” head coach Traci Young said.  “Stephanie played a great match in her win and we went three sets at three other spots.  All in all we had lots of close matches on the day.”

The Crusaders also went three sets at first, third, and fifth singles on the day.  Brittany O’Reilly (Green Bay, Wis./Southwest H.S.) won the opening set at the top of the order against Kelsey Hassevoort before falling 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.  Kristin Zakiewicz (Bristol, Ind./Northridge H.S.) also won her first set at the third spot against Kelsey Moran before dropping a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 decision.

At the fifth spot, Katie Bilyeu (Terre Haute, Ind./South Vigo H.S.) rallied from a set down to force a match tie-break for the third set, but ultimately fell 7-5, 2-6, 10-0 against Kate Farwell.  Jackie O’Reilly (Green Bay, Wis./DePere H.S.) lost a 6-2, 6-2 match to Kari Larson at the second spot while Aubree Zdanovec (Appleton, Wis./East H.S.) suffered a 6-3, 7-6 (2) setback to Paula Silverman at the bottom of the order.

Kalamazoo (0-1) swept all three doubles matches, and using the Division III scoring system, all three matches counted as points in the final margin.  Larson and Moran downed Zakiewicz and Bilyeu 8-3 at number one doubles while Silverman and Riehl topped York and Jackie O’Reilly 8-6 at the second spot.  Farwell and Hassevoort topped Brittany O’Reilly and Zdanovec 8-2 at third doubles.

Valparaiso (0-2) will return to action on Sunday afternoon travelling to Renssalaer, Ind. to face Saint Joseph’s (Ind.).  The start time for the contest has been moved back to 3 p.m. against the Pumas.