GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The No. 36 Tusculum College men's tennis team captured two doubles points and record four singles wins as the Pioneers defeated visiting Lenoir-Rhyne University, 6-3 Tuesday afternoon at the Nichols Tennis Complex in South Atlantic Conference action.

The Pioneers (9-6, 3-2 SAC) jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles with wins at the second and third flights. Playing in their third match in as many days, Tusculum got on the board first with its 8-1 pro set win at No. 3 doubles by the duo of Hunter Beal and Steven Lin. TC added a second point with an 8-3 decision at No. 2 doubles by Leo Guaycurus and Henrique Rodrigues.

Lenoir-Rhyne's No. 1 doubles tandem of John and Barry Fichardt won 8-3 over Thomas Rees and Drew Kiser.

Reed won his No. 2 singles contest with Barry Fichardt (6-1, 7-6), but Hernando Saavedra won his singles match with Beal at the third flight (6-4, 6-2). L-R tied the match at 3-3 when John Fichardt outlasted Rodrigues at No. 1 singles in a three-set marathon (6-3, 3-6, 6-1).

But Guaycurus, Lin and Kiser sealed the win for Tusculum with three straight-set wins to close out the match.

Tusculum returns to action Friday when the Pioneers host Newberry College for a 3 p.m. SAC match. It will be a rematch of last year's Food Lion SAC Tournament Championship match. Lenoir-Rhyne (6-11, 0-4 SAC) is back on the road on Wednesday when they travel to Brevard College for a 3 p.m. league tilt.

- TC -

No. 36 Tusculum 6, Lenoir-Rhyne 3
Singles
1 - John Fichardt (LRU) def. Henrique Rodrigues 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
2 - Thomas Rees (TC) def. Barry Fichardt 6-1, 7-6
3 - Hernando Saavedra (LRU) def. Hunter Beal 6-4, 6-2
4 - Leo Guaycurus (TC) def. Graydon Dunn 6-2, 6-2
5 - Steven Lin (TC) def. Mike Owens 6-2, 6-2
6 - Drew Kiser (TC) def. Brian Reid 6-4, 6-2

Doubles
1 - J. Fichardt/B. Fichardt (LRU) def. Rees/Kiser 8-3
2 - Guaycurus/Rodrigues (TC) def. Dunn/Reid 8-3
3 - Lin/Beal (TC) def. Owens/Saavedra 8-1