By Drew Wilson/Sports Information Director

DANVILLE, Va. — For about the first 35 minutes, Averett University football had defending conference champion Maryville College on its heels. However, a few miscues in the second half helped shift the momentum in the Scots' favor, helping Maryville hand Averett a 40-17 loss in their USA South Conference opener on Saturday afternoon at Daly Field.

Averett's special teams, powered by freshman Travis Jones, dominated the first quarter to give the Cougars an early edge. Although Maryville (2-1, 1-0 USA South) took a 7-0 lead in the opening minutes of the first quarter, Averett (1-2, 0-1 USA South) answered immediately. Jones returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to help tie the game.

Maryville inched ahead 10-7 on a Wesley Bloeme field goal on the Scots' next possession, but Jones struck again late in the first quarter. The Danville native raced through traffic for a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown to put Averett ahead 14-10 with 3:29 left in the first quarter.

"All he needs is an opportunity and some space," Averett first-year coach Cleive Adams said. "He can take care of the rest."

Jones became the first Cougar in the program's 15-year history to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game, and the third player to accomplish both in a career. Jones' 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown is the second longest in program history, falling just short of Duane Alston's 92-yard kickoff return for a score against Guilford College in 2006. Jones' 75-yard punt return for a touchdown is tied for the fourth longest punt return in the program's history.

Averett added a 21-yard field goal by junior Hobie Proctor to increase its lead to 17-10 early in the second quarter, and the Cougars' defense held Maryville to a field goal before the end of the half to secure a 17-13 advantage over the USA South preseason favorite entering the break.

The Cougars, who received the ball to start the second half, had their opening drive stall and were forced to punt. It was at that time the momentum changed in Maryville's favor. The Scots broke the line, blocked the punt and returned it all the way down to the Averett 3-yard line. Maryville quarterback Evan Pittenger ran it on the next play to put the Scots on top 20-17.

Averett seemed poised to answer the challenge, driving down to inside the Maryville 10-yard line, but the Cougars had to settle for a 26-yard field goal attempt, which missed wide right. Three plays later, Pittenger broke free for a 73-yard touchdown run down the right side. Pittenger added a third rushing touchdown later in the third quarter and the Scots tacked on one more rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to pull away.

Jones almost provided one last late spark, returning a punt 65 yards before being forced out of bounds. He finished with 236 all-purpose yards.

Maryville rushed for 464 yards and gained 519 total yards of offense, with Pittenger accounting for 168 yards rushing and 55 yards passing.

Averett senior quarterback Kirkland Brown completed 17 of 31 passes for 148 yards. He also rushed for a team-high 53 yards.

Junior Dontae Gilbert led Averett's defense with 16 tackles, the most by a Cougar in a single game since Jermaine Moore totaled 15 tackles against Maryville in 2006. Senior Ben Harris added 11 tackles and junior Donald Downs finished with nine take-downs.

Averett will look to rebound as the Cougars travel to conference foe LaGrange College next Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.