Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's women's tennis team saw its five-match win streak come to an end Saturday with a 5-4 non-conference defeat at the hands of visiting Averett.
The Cougars took a 2-1 lead after doubles play and cinched the match with a pair of three-set victories at No. 1 and No. 3 singles in addition to the victory at the second singles flight.
Seniors Reagan Coon (Churchville, Va.) and Lilli Altenburg (Lexington, Va.) won at No. 3 doubles, 8-2, and No. 2 duo of senior Sarah Wyly (Leesburg, Va.) and Emily Hoang (Sterling, Va.) carried a 5-2 lead midway through the match, but Averett duo Inka Zeilstra and Kristina Hedelt stormed back to take the match, 8-7.
Singles play began kinder for the Hornets, as Coon and Altenburg won easily, 6-0, 6-0, at the bottom two flights.
Wyly fell in straight sets at No. 2 to even the match at 3-3, but Zielstra won a third set at No. 3 over Guill to bring the match down to the Nos. 1 and 4 flights.
Freshman Alissa Anderson (Norfolk, Va.) won the tiebreaking set to take a 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 win at No. 4.
The deciding match at No. 1 settled between nationally ranked opponents. Hornets junior Christina Harris (Falls Church, Va.), ranked No. 32 in the latest ITA rankings, took the first set from 21st ranked Heidi Sarkkinen, 6-2, but the Cougars' top player came back to win the final two sets, 6-2, 6-2, and clinch the match for the Cougars.
It was Harris' first singles loss in dual play since April 26, 2018.
Lynchburg's women will look to get back on the winning track next Saturday, March 30, with a return to Old Dominion Athletic Conference play at Bridgewater at 1 p.m.
--LYN--
