DANVILLE -- Averett won four singles matches to upset Christopher Newport 5-4 in men's tennis Friday. The Captains, playing without men who usually are in the 2, 3 and 4 singles spots, took a 2-1 lead in doubles on victories by Eric Shulman and Robbie Wagner at No. 1 and by Will Sloan and Kyle Tobin at No. 2.

Shulman, ranked second in the Atlantic South Region, earned a 6-3, 6-1 victory over David Lembke at No. 1. But Averett took a 4-3 lead by winning at spots 2, 5 and 6, then clinched the match when Jyri Hayrinen edged Kyle Tobin 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 at line 3.

About three minutes after the Cougars clinched the team triumph, CNU freshman Will Sloan fought off cramps to close the match with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Andrey Yasyr at No. 4. The match originally had been scheduled the previous Saturday but was rained out.

The Captains (8-9, 3-2 USA South) will return to action with two matches Saturday, April 7. They will play at Virginia Wesleyan at 9 a.m., then return home to face Methodist on Senior Day at 2 p.m.

If the Captains beat the Monarchs, a three-way tie for second place in the USA South could result between those two teams and Averett.

AVERETT 5, CNU 4
Doubles
1. Eric Shulman-Robbie Wagner (C) d. David Lembke-Jyri Hayrinen 8-4.
2. Will Sloan-Kyle Tobin (C) d. Kirill Orlov-Iliya Egorov 8-0.
3. Andrey Yasyr-Mikhail Polyakov (A) d. Sky Masand-Chris Yost 8-2.

Singles
1. Shulman (C) d. Lembke 6-3, 6-1.
2. Orlov (A) d. Wagner 6-2, 7-5.
3. Hayrinen (A) d. Tobin 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.
4. Sloan (C) d. Yasyr 6-3, 7-5.
5. Polyakov (A) d. Masand 6-3, 6-4.
6. Egorov (A) d. Yost 6-3, 6-3.

Records: CNU 8-9, 3-2 USA South; Averett 6-4, 3-2.