GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The top-seeded Tusculum College women's tennis team recorded the first five points of its 2009 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament Quarterfinal match against Lenoir-Rhyne University at the Nichols Tennis Complex on Tuesday to advance to the semifinal round against the winner of Brevard and Mars Hill.

Caroline Crowe and Katelyn Doss notched the Pioneers' first point of the day at No. 1 doubles, defeating Jen Binney and Kate Meines 8-3. Amanda Pike and Jennifer Sparks followed with an 8-0 victory over Jessica Gullette and Cathryn Jarrett, before Heidi von der Lage and Jessi Smith won their third flight match against Mariel Mena and Bekah Rhoney 8-1.

Pike brought the Pioneers within one point of the match win with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Gullette at No. 3 singles before von der Lage defeated Rhoney 6-1, 6-0 to push Tusculum through to the semifinal round.

Defending champion Tusculum now awaits the result of the match between No. 5 Mars Hill and No. 4 Brevard to learn who it will face on Friday in the semifinal round of the SAC Tournament at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, S.C. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

- SAC -

Tusculum 5, Lenoir-Rhyne 0
Singles
1. Jennifer Sparks (TC)/Kate Meines (L-R) DNF
2. Katelyn Doss (TC)/Jen Binney (L-R) DNF
3. Amanda Pike (TC) def. Jessica Gullette 6-0, 6-2
4. Heidi von der Lage (TC) def. Bekah Rhoney 6-1, 6-0
5. Caroline Crowe (TC)/Cathryn Jarrett (L-R) DNF
6. Blake Thompson (TC)/Mariel Mena (L-R) DNF

Doubles
1. Crowe/Doss (TC) def. Binney/Meines 8-3
2. Pike/Sparks (TC) def. Gullette/Jarrett 8-0
3. von der Lage/Smith (TC) def. Mena/Rhoney 8-1