GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College
women's tennis team captured the outright South Atlantic Conference
Championship with its 6-3 victory over Lincoln Memorial University
Thursday afternoon at the Nichols Tennis Complex.
The Pioneers (15-4, 8-0 SAC) cap its second undefeated SAC
campaign in school history, while establishing a new league
single-season record for conference victories in a year (8).
Caroline Crowe captured the deciding point at No.
5 singles with her 6-0, 6-4 triumph over Melanie Smith.
Tusculum went up 2-1 after doubles play with the Pioneers
capturing points at the second and third flights. The No. 2 pairing
of Amanda Pike and Jennifer
Sparks defeated the LMU duo of Katy Oliver and Emily
Osborne, 8-1 in pro sets. Jessi Smith and
Heidi von der Lage recorded an 8-4 win over
Mandy Mills and Melanie Smith at No. 3 doubles.
LMU salvaged a point at the top flight as Sofia Lopez Mimendi and
Ann Indeherberge defeated Crowe and Katelyn Doss,
8-4.
Tusculum jumped up 3-1 following Pike's straight set (6-0, 6-0)
win over Oliver at No. 3 singles. LMU (6-9, 1-4 SAC) responded with
singles victories by Lopez Mimendi and Indeherberge and the first
and second flights, respectively to tie the match, 3-3.
Tusculum closed out the match with three straight singles
victories by Blake Thompson, von der Lage and
Crowe to seal the victory.
Tusculum wins its fourth SAC title in school history and first
outright championship since the Pioneers posted a 4-0 league mark
in 2004.
TC returns to action on Saturday afternoon when the Pioneers
travel to North Greenville University for a 1 p.m. contest.
- TC -
Tusculum 6, Lincoln Memorial 3
Singles
1 - Sofia Lopez Mimendi (LMU) def. Jennifer Sparks 6-1, 6-1
2 - Ann Indeherberge (LMU) def. Katelyn Doss 7-5, 6-1
3 - Amanda Pike (TC) def. Katy Oliver 6-0, 6-0
4 - Heidi von der Lage (TC) def. Emily Osborne 6-1, 6-0
5 - Caroline Crowe (TC) def. Melanie Smith 6-0, 6-4
6 - Blake Thompson (TC) def. Mandy Mills 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
1 - Lopez Mimendi/Indeherberge (LMU) def. Crowe/Doss 8-4
2 - Pike/Sparks (TC) def. Oliver/Osborne 8-1
3 - Jessi Smith/von der Lage (TC) def. Smith/Mills 8-4