CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- The Tusculum University women's tennis team stayed undefeated in the South Atlantic Conference as the 37th-ranked Pioneers defeated 17th-ranked Queens University of Charlotte 5-2 Wednesday afternoon.
The Pioneers (9-2, 5-0 SAC) had four straight-set wins in singles against the Royals (9-3, 4-2 SAC) to earn their sixth straight win and keep pace with Wingate atop the SAC standings. Queens is the highest-ranked opponent ever defeated by the Pioneers, surpassing a 6-3 win over 19th-ranked Northwood on March 8, 2016.
Tusculum won the doubles point by sweeping all three matches, as reigning SAC Player of the Week Annie McCullough and Caitlin McCullough beat Sasha Davidzenka and Caity Klaassen 6-0 at flight one, Julia Lopez and Africa Mota beat Isabel Fornies and Viktorija Veselinova 6-3 at flight two, and Emilie Hansen teamed with Brittani Brooks for a 6-2 win over Hannah Lehfeldt and Kate Halickman at flight three.
In singles, Tusculum built a 3-0 lead as Annie McCullough beat Davidzenka, ranked 59th in Division II this week, by a score of 6-2, 6-0 at flight one and Mota defeated Lehfeldt 6-1, 6-1 at flight five. Wins by Fornies at flight two and Veselinova at flight three allowed the Royals to pull within 3-2, but Tusculum was able to lock up the final two matches as Martina Marras beat Katya Khramstova 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) at flight six and Lopez won 6-3, 7-6 7-6 (7-4) at flight four against Klaassen.
Tusculum will return to action on Friday with a SAC match at 44th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne, starting at 1:30 p.m