The Valparaiso men's tennis team opened Horizon League play with a 6-1 win over Wright State at the Dayton Center Courts on Saturday night.
#1 and #2 doubles fetched wins for the Crusaders as they got out to a 1-0 lead. Jeffrey Schorsch (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) and Charlie Emhardt (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) made quick work of WSU's Mason Bourbon/Myles Harris, 6-1, atop doubles. Dave Bacalla (Skokie, Ill./Niles North) and Chase Hamilton (Hinsdale, Ill./Central) wrapped up play with a 6-4 dismissal of Dan Gilbert/Simon Cote' at No. 2.
Valpo ran almost flawlessly through singles play, picking up wins at No. 1-5.
Kyle Dunn (Fond Du Lac, Wis./Fond du Lac) got things started with a perfect 6-0, 6-0 triumph at No. 5. Emhardt and Ricardo Pineda split their first two sets before the former got out to a 3-0 lead in the third set. Pineda was then forced to retire due to injury.
Schorsch clinched the match for the Crusaders following his 7-6 (5), 6-2 win at No. 1 versus Lauri Makikalli. Garrett Gardner (Poland, Ohio/Poland) followed suit with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 victory against Jose Pestana.
No. 2 singles saw Bacalla outlast Gilbert 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 for the sophomore's 16th win of the season.
Cote provided the lone point for the Raiders. He got past Michael Savaglio (Kenosha, Wis./Mary D. Bradford) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 6.
Valpo (16-4, 1-0 Horizon) will remain in Dayton to face the Flyers on Sunday at 3 pm ET/2 pm CT.
