DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University men's tennis team opened conference play with a 5-4 victory over Methodist University.
 
With the match score tied at four, senior Carlos Lora came through for the Cougars (3-1, 1-0 USA South) by securing the 5-4 win for Averett with his triumph at No. 5 singles. Lora dropped set one 6-4 to Hayden Wilfong of Methodist (3-4, 0-1 USA South), but the Gurabo, Puerto Rico, native came back with two consecutive 6-3 set wins to claim the individual and team victory.
 
Averett got off to a strong start to the match as the Cougars won two doubles competitions to take a 2-1 lead on the team score line. Sophomore Nicolas Yanes and junior Abdugani Ganiev won at No. 1 doubles, 8-2, and then the freshmen pair of Felipe Andreazza and Douwe Sternfeld collected the 8-3 win at No. 2 doubles.  
 
Sternfeld carried the momentum he gained from the doubles competition into his match at No. 3 singles as the Haarlem, Netherlands, product won in straight sets over Reid Rose (6-2, 6-0). Before Lora's clinching win at No. 5 singles, freshman Simon Levinsson tied the match at four with his win at No. 6 singles (7-5, 6-3).
 
This is the second victory in a row for Averett over Methodist as the Cougars defeated the Monarchs, 6-3, last spring on April 8, 2017.
 
Averett returns to the courts on Tuesday, March 13, when the Cougars travel to take on Hampden-Sydney College. The match is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.