FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A chance for the Averett University women's tennis team to claim a USA South Conference championship for the first time in 22 years all came down to one final singles match.

With the team score tied 4-4, Averett junior Alejandra Garcia needed to win her No. 6 singles matchup. As the last match going, all eyes were on her.

No pressure, right?

"I managed to stay focused with the match by focusing on my game and the tactics that I was using," Garcia said. "The support of my teammates and coaches also helped me to stay focused on winning every point. I just took it one point at a time and tried not to think about the overall outcome."

However, when her opponent's final shot sailed long to give Garcia match point, she gladly welcomed the open arms of her teammates, who rushed the court as Averett beat Methodist University 5-4 to win the 2021-22 USA South Conference East Division regular season title — the program's first conference title of any kind since spring 2000.

"Firstly, I was so relieved that I had won, I could finally breath again," Garcia recalled. "When my teammates came rushing on the court, I was very emotional and grateful for being on a team with them and playing for Averett. This is a memory that will last a lifetime."
 
The top seed in the USA South East Division came down to Saturday's showdown between Averett (12-4, 9-0 USA South) and Methodist (13-7, 7-1 USA South) as both teams entered the day undefeated in conference play. The Cougars took the early edge by winning two of three doubles matches. Freshmen Maxence Lippens and Linnea Sjostrom Krook won 8-4 at No. 1 doubles, while Garcia and sophomore Paula Ryhsen won 8-3 at No. 3 doubles.

Lippens' big win at No. 1 singles gave Averett a 3-1 lead, and Ryhsen's win at No. 4 singles put the Cougars one singles win away from clinching the match. Methodist, however, pulled out three-set wins at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, then won at No. 5 singles to tie the match at 4-4. That set up the nail-biting finish for Averett and Garcia at No. 6 singles.

Garcia won the opening set 6-4 and went ahead 2-0 early in the second set to give her momentum. She was up 5-2 before clinching it by winning 6-2.

The victory was an historic moment for the Averett women's tennis program, which had a dominant era during the 1990s. However, since arriving as head coach at Averett in 2015, Bert Poole has continued to build the women's program back into a conference contender leading into this year's regular season championship moment.

Averett will look to continue its memorable run in this week's USA South Conference Tournament. Averett, the No. 1 seed in the East, will play its quarterfinals match on Thursday in Rome, Georgia, against the winner of Monday's first round match between West No. 4 seed Brevard College and West No. 5 seed Maryville College.



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