SUMTER, S.C. --- Top-seeded Queens University of Charlotte came back from an early deficit to defeat Tusculum University 4-2 in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Men's Tennis Championship tournament Friday morning at the Palmetto Tennis Center.

The Royals (14-4), ranked 18th in the latest ITA Division II rankings, won four of five singles matches from the 33rd-ranked Pioneers (13-8), who were seeded fifth in the tournament. Queens, which rallied from a set down to win the final two matches, earned its second win over Tusculum this season and avenged a loss to the Pioneers in last year's semifinals.

Tusculum won two of the three doubles sets to take a 1-0 lead over Queens. Vadzim Raitsou and Robin Eldin defeated Berk Enc and Yoan Roussinov 6-1 at flight three, and Nemanja Subanovic teamed with Marco Jalalian to beat Edoardo Bottino and Laurenz Blickwede by a 6-4 score at flight one. Queens' lone win came at flight two as Edoardo Cecere and Win Steveker beat Kenta Kondou and Frank Bonacia 6-0 at flight two.

Queens tied the match at 1-1 as Cecere defeated Eldin 6-0, 6-4 at flight two, and went up 2-1 as Blickwede downed Nathan Matsuguma 6-2, 6-3 at flight five. Tusculum fought back to a 2-2 score as Kondou won 6-4, 6-2 over Enc at flight four, but Steveker rallied from a set down for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over Subanovic at flight three to put the Royals ahead 3-2. Roussinov would also come from a set down to defeat Raitsou 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 at flight six to clinch the match for Queens.

Queens will face third-seeded Wingate for the conference championship on Saturday, after the Bulldogs upset second-seeded Anderson 4-2 in Friday's other semifinal match. The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.