WINGATE, N.C. --- The Tusculum College women's tennis team narrowly dropped its first match of the season on Friday, suffering a 5-4 loss at Wingate University. Kealee Heffner, Erin Mills and Adrienne Kaye earned singles wins for the Pioneers.

Tusculum, ranked 36th in the latest ITA national rankings, sees its record fall to 10-1 overall and 2-1 in the South Atlantic Conference. The 47th-ranked Bulldogs improve to 7-4 overall and 6-0 in the league. Wingate won two of the three doubles matches and three singles matches to claim the close victory.

Heffner, the reigning SAC Player of the Week, picked up another big singles win after knocking off Andrea Ternera (6-3, 6-2) in the top flight. Mills was victorious over Caroline Holland (6-1, 6-3) at number two while Kaye bested Maria Garcia by scores of 3-6, 6-3, and 1-0 (10-7) in the sixth spot.

Franziska Funke and Amanda Summer earned the lone singles win for TC by defeating Oroma Womeodu and Garcia (8-6) in the second position. Becca Thomas defeated Sarah Baker (6-0, 6-4) in the fifth singles position to claim the win for the Bulldogs.

The Pioneers will be back in action tomorrow morning at Catawba College. First serve in Salisbury, North Carolina is set for 11 a.m.

1. Kealee Heffner (TCW) def. Andrea Ternera (WU) 6-3, 6-2

2. Erin Mills (TCW) def. Caroline Holland (WU) 6-1, 6-3

3. Oroma Womeodu (WU) def. Franziska Funke (TCW) 6-2, 6-3

4. Layla Tanik (WU) def. Kate Hutchinson (TCW) 6-4, 6-2

5. Becca Thomas (WU) def. Sarah Baker (TCW) 6-0, 6-4

6. Adrienne Kaye (TCW) def. Maria Garcia (WU) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7)

1. Becca Thomas/Andrea Ternera (WU) def. Kate Hutchinson/Kealee Heffner (TCW) 8-5

2. Franziska Funke/Amanda Summer (TCW) def. Oroma Womeodu/Maria Garcia (WU) 8-6

3. Caroline Holland/Layla Tanik (WU) def. Erin Mills/Sarah Baker (TCW) 8-4

Tusculum 10-1 (2-1 SAC); National ranking #36; Regional ranking #8

Wingate 7-4 (6-0 SAC); National ranking #47; Regional ranking #10

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,4,3,2,5,6)