FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.— Making its return to action for the first time since 2022-23, the Montreat men's tennis team sent six individuals to Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. for the MU Men's Fall Invite. Competing in both singles and doubles action, the Cavaliers captured one individual title and another individual third-place mark.
 
Ibai Lopez was the lone Cav to go undefeated in singles play. Entering as the No. 4 seed in the fifth flight, Lopez didn't drop a game until the semifinals by cruising through his quarterfinal match, 6-0, 6-0. The semis went smoothly also, with Lopez taking the match, 6-0, 6-4. In the flight five championship, Lopez battled back after dropping the initial set. Ultimately, Lopez claimed his flight's title via a 4-6, 7-5 [10-8] performance.
 
Youssef Idboufous won a pair of matches as he ended 2-1 in flight three. Playing as the third seed, Idboufous won 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinals before dropping a tightly-contested semifinal to the No. 2 seed, 3-6, 6-4 [10-7]. The Casablanca, Morocco native bounced back in the third-place match, though, triumphing 6-4, 6-3.
 
Danel Diez and Daniel Garcia each went 1-2, with the former placing fourth in flight four thanks to a 6-2, 6-2 quarterfinal win. Garcia ended seventh in flight two, cruising 6-0, 6-1 in his final singles match.
 
The Cavaliers' three doubles pairings went 1-2 at Methodist. Lopez and Diez concluded fourth in flight two behind their 6-2 quarterfinal victory. Also in flight two, Cebria and Idboufous teamed up for fifth thanks to a 6-3 win in the consolation semis. Meanwhile, Garcia and Gehlhaar won their seventh-place match in flight one, 6-3.
 
For a look at the full results from the MU Men's Fall Invite, click here.
 
Montreat is back at it this weekend with more individual tournament action. The Cavs head to Williamsburg, Ky. on Saturday for the UC Invite 1.