GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum sent Bellarmine to its first loss of the season with a 9-0 victory in women's tennis action Sunday afternoon at the Nichols Tennis Complex.
The 21st-ranked Pioneers (6-0) grabbed a 3-0 lead after doubles play, and dropped just one set in singles against the Knights (10-1) to earn their fourth sweep in six matches this season. Bellarmine is ranked ninth in the Midwest Region in the latest ITA Division II Regional Rankings, while Tusculum is sixth in the Southeast Region in addition to their position in the national survey.
In doubles, the 20th-ranked team of Annie McCullough and Caitlin McCullough defeated Maggie Walroth and Ashley Jonathan by an 8-0 score. At flight two, Katarina Majorova and Franziska Funke claimed an 8-5 victory over Jennifer Skonieczny and Ava Ratcliff, while at flight three the team of Amber Lackey and Africa Mota beat Mairin Cotter and Bess Fley 8-5.
Majorova, ranked 12th nationally in singles, defeated Walroth 6-4, 6-2 at flight one, while 47th-ranked Funke was a 7-6, 7-5 winner over Skonieczny at flight two. Annie McCullough, ranked 27th in Division II, beat Jonathan 6-3, 6-2 at flight three, and Caitlin McCullough downed Marissa Kovach 6-0, 6-1 at flight four. Mota needed a 14-12 tiebreaker to beat Cotter at flight five after splitting the first two sets 6-3 and 2-6, while Angelica De Vincenzis earned a 6-2, 6-4 win over Aubrey Smith at flight six.
Tusculum is scheduled for three matches over Spring Break in Hilton Head, South Carolina, starting on Tuesday, March 6 against Chowan beginning at 8:30 a.m.
