GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Oliver Smith accounted for a pair of points to lead the Tusculum College men's tennis team to a 6-3 South Atlantic Conference win over visiting Mars Hill College Tuesday afternoon at the Nichols Tennis Complex.

The Pioneers (13-2, 5-1 SAC) win their fourth straight match and avenge last year's loss to the Lions (3-7, 2-2 SAC) in the Food Lion SAC Tournament championship final.

The doubles matches were hotly contested as all three would go beyond regulation. The Pioneers posted a pair of 9-7 wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, including a win by Smith and Steven Lin over the Mars Hill pairing of Stevan Stankovic and Alessandro du Besse.

MHC's Lucas Simm and Koeshe Smith outlasted the top-flighted duo of Henrique Rodriguez and Luis Zamora, 9-8.

The Lions rallied back to tie the match at 3-3 following singles wins by du Besse and Koeche Smith. The Pioneers got an important point at No. 3 singles by the Lin as he knocked off Simm.

Smith, Drew Kiser and Gui Carvalho each won their singles contest to clinch the victory.

Tusculum will travel to Lincoln Memorial University for a 1 p.m. league contest in Harrogate, Tenn.

- TC -

South Atlantic Conference Men's Tennis Results
Tusculum 6, Mars Hill 3
Singles
1 - Alessandro du Besse (MHC) def. Henrique Rodrigues 6-3, 6-3
2 - Koeche Smith (MHC) def. Luis Zamora 6-3, 6-4
3 - Steven Lin (TC) def. Lucas Simm 6-2, 6-4
4 - Oliver Smith (TC) def. Stevan Stankovic 6-4, 7-5
5 - Drew Kiser (TC) def. Carlos Oyaga 6-3, 7-5
6 - Gui Carvalho (TC) def. Brad Bassinger 4-6, 6-4, (10-6)

Doubles
1 - Simm/L. Smith (MHC) def. Rodrigues/Zamora 9-8
2 - Lin/O. Smith (TC) def. Stankovic/du Besse 9-7
3 - Kiser/Carvalho (TC) def. Oyaga/Bassinger 9-7
Records: Tusculum 13-2, 5-1 SAC; Mars Hill 3-7, 2-2 SAC