ANDERSON, S.C. --- Tusculum University earned its seventh consecutive victory as the 27th-ranked Pioneers defeated 33rd-ranked Anderson University 5-2 in South Atlantic Conference men's tennis action Tuesday afternoon.

The Pioneers (12-4, 8-0 SAC) never trailed in the match, and remain tied for first place in the SAC with Wingate ahead of the teams' meeting Friday at the Nichols Tennis Complex. The Trojans (12-2, 8-2 SAC) had their four-match winning streak come to an end with the loss.

Tusculum opened the match with a sweep of singles to take a 1-0 lead. At flight one, Nemanja Subanovic and Marco Jalalian beat Juan Sengariz and Greyson Doscotch 6-3, followed by a 6-4 win at flight three from Rhodri Atkinson and Frank Bonacia over Spencer Snow and Patrick Cronin to clinch the team point. At flight two, Nathan Matsuguma and Kenta Kondou defeated Julian Kenzlers and Philip Olsson 6-4.

Matsuguma extended the Tusculum lead to 2-0 with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Cronin at flight six, but the Trojans got on the board with a win at flight one from Sengariz. Bonacia put Tusculum back up 3-1 with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Chambers Easterling at flight four, but Kenzlers helped the Trojans stay alive with a win at flight two.

Kondou delivered the clinching point for the Pioneers as he defeated Doscotch 6-4, 6-3 at flight three, and Ivan Ivars closed the match with a 6-2, 4-6, (10-4) win at flight five over Snow.

Tusculum and Wingate (13-2, 8-0 SAC) will battle for first place in the SAC on Friday at 11 a.m. at the Nichols Tennis Complex. The Bulldogs, ranked 36th in Division II, won their ninth straight match on Tuesday with a 4-3 win over Limestone.