CONWAY, S.C. – Julian Farthing improved his record to 5-1 this spring at the No. 4 singles position with a 2-6, 6-0, 6-4 full-set comeback victory, but it wasn't enough as the Longwood men's tennis team fell 6-1 at former conference foe Coastal Carolina Sunday to close their season-opening road swing.

After trips to Blacksburg and Fredericksburg, Va. and Greenville and Wilmington, N.C., Longwood (3-4) concluded their road stretch with Farthing's win in singles and a win at the No. 1 doubles line by Jorge Godoy and Valentin Popescu in a 6-1 loss.

Godoy's win in doubles was his second victory of the weekend after taking down his UNCW counterpart Saturday in straight sets for the 10th win of his senior season.

Entering the season among the top-10 all-time wins list, Farthing saw his overall record climb to 11-7 including a 5-1 start to the spring at court No. 4 in singles play.

However, the host Chanticleers used straight-set wins on four singles courts and a three-set comeback on No. 6 to outlast Farthing and the Lancer lineup.

"I think the team has been going through many changes. Not only the culture and how I want things to be run on and off the court, but also the emotions and having different aspects of the game," said first-year head coach Jhonnatan Medina Alvarez. "I thought we were close to winning the doubles point. I think our emotions are getting the better of us in important times. We have to learn to how to control that anxiety."

"The same can be said for singles. There were a few matches that we could've won" Medina Alvarez said. "I don't think the score reflects what happened. I do feel there is a time for the team to understand that as you play better teams, the decision making is key and how to handle the pressure, how to understand what is the right decision to make, and to most importantly believe in yourself. You could be losing and turn it around."

Playing his second match in as many days at the No. 1 slot, freshman Valentin Popescu fell to Luiz Faria in two 6-4 sets while sophomore Amadeo Blasco fell at position No. 2 by a 6-3, 6-4 margin to Zak Talic.

Freshman Raisei Sakai fell at court No. 3 to Gonzalo Achondo 6-3, 6-4 as Godoy battled at No. 5 before dropping a 7-6, 6-1 match. Sakai, who collected six wins during his fall debut, sits just one victory shy of becoming the fifth Lancer with 10 wins this season after Godoy was the fourth to accomplish that feat Saturday.

"I think we're physically and technically ready to make those adjustments, we've just got to start believing in ourselves," Medina Alvarez said. "We had a long conversation as a team after the match. The tough love was something that was needed."

"I hope that moving forward this Wednesday, regardless of the outcome, I hope that we can be accountable for our decisions and communicate to each other the things we're doing to improve and to be there for one another. That's the hard thing, tennis is a sport of individuals coming together to play as a team. That's the biggest thing that I'm trying to get them to accomplish, for them to know that even if I'm winning or losing, I still have to take care of my teammate who's on the other court with some positive reinforcements," Medina Alvarez said. "It's tough, but I believe if we keep fighting we can get through this. We're looking forward to Wednesday and having people come out and watch us play."

Longwood makes their home debut Wednesday as the open Big South play with rival Liberty on the newly-paved Lancer Courts. Wednesday's bout is the first matchup between the squads since Longwood broke through for their first Big South victory last season in Lynchburg on Blasco's walk-off full-set victory at court No. 1.

First serve from Lancer Courts is set for 2 p.m. between the old rivals.

Coastal Carolina 6, Longwood 1
Feb. 25, 2018

Singles:
1. Luiz Faria (CCU) def. Valentin Popescu (LWU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Zak Falic (CCU) def. Amadeo Blasco (LWU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Gonzalo Achondo (CCU) def. Raisei Sakai (LWU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Julian Farthing (LWU) def. Lawrence Perrin (CCU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-4
5. Paul Boulay (CCU) def. Jorge Godoy (LWU) 7-6, 6-1
6. Juan Castellanos (CCU) def. Daniel Hernandez (LWU) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-4)

Doubles:
1. Godoy/Popescu (LWU) def. Boulay/Perrin (CCU) 6-4
2. Achondo/Faria (CCU) def. Blasco/Sakai (LWU) 7-5
3. Talic/Gamero Cori (CCU) def. Farthing/Hernandez 6-1

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