DAHLONEGA, Ga. --- Columbus State University came away with a 4-2 victory over Tusculum University in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Monday afternoon at the University of North Georgia.

The third-seeded Cougars (14-6), ranked 18th in Division II, never trailed in the match but had to use a rally in the final match to hold off the hard-charging Pioneers (17-7), who were the sixth seed in the region and ranked 19th in Division II. Columbus State advances to play the host Nighthawks on Tuesday at 1 p.m. for the right to advance to the NCAA Division II Round of 16 in Orlando, Florida next week.

In doubles, the Cougars picked up a 6-2 win by Sara Ramirez and Luciana Galves over Elodie Baechler and Valentina Loretz, but the Pioneers responded at flight three as Leonie Floeth and Ylva Frafjord Landa teamed for a 6-4 win over Agostina Bigotti and Nikoline Gullacksen. At flight one, Yelena Labat and Mariana Ramirez rallied from a 3-0 deficit to claim a 6-3 win over Tabitha Howe and Paulina Loretz and give Columbus State the 1-0 lead in the match.

Columbus State went up 2-0 at flight three as Gullacksen defeated Baechler 6-1, 6-0, but Tusculum got on the board at flight two as Howe beat Inma Ramon 6-3, 6-3. The Cougars would take a 3-1 lead at flight four as Laura Pesickova downed Paulina Loretz 6-3, 6-4, but Floeth came back from a 5-2 deficit in the second set to beat 52nd-ranked Mariana Ramirez 6-3, 7-6 at flight one.

Each of the two remaining matches would go to a third set, and the Cougars would pull out the win at flight six as Bigotti rallied from a set down and 3-5 in the third for a 6-7, 6-0, 7-5 victory over Landa. In the unfinished match, Valentina Loretz and Labat were even 3-3 in the third set at flight five when the match was clinched.

Tusculum was making its 12th appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament and first since 2019. The Cougars are now 2-0 all-time against the Pioneers in the NCAA Tournament, having picked up a 5-0 victory in the second round in 2018.