GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University defeated Mars Hill University 6-1 in the South Atlantic Conference women's tennis season opener for both teams Tuesday afternoon at the Nichols Tennis Complex.
The Pioneers (3-1, 1-0 SAC) swept doubles from the Lions (2-3, 0-1 SAC) and then won five of the six singles matches to claim the victory.
In doubles play, Emilie Hansen and Valentina Loretz teamed up for a 6-0 win over Aletta Macheli and Elana Mackey at flight three, followed by a 6-1 win at flight two by the Pioneers' Leonie Floeth and Paulina Loretz over the Lions' Amanda Kadiri and Lauren Schave. Tusculum closed out doubles action as Elodie Baechler and Tabitha Howe downed Ines Rodriguez and Maria Razzetta 6-2 at flight one.
Singles action saw Valentina Loretz earn a clean sweep with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at flight five over Hannah Frazer, while Howe beat Razzetta 6-3, 6-1 at flight three. Baechler rallied from a set down at flight one to clinch the match with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Kadiri. Singles continued with Johanna Palacio defeating Macheli 8-3 in a pro set at flight six, along with a win for Paulina Loretz at flight four by a 6-3, 7-5 score over Mackey.
Tusculum will be back on the road for a non-conference match at Belmont Abbey on Friday, Feb. 18 at 1 p.m.
