ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Brevard College defeated Tusculum College 5-1 Wednesday afternoon at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis Tournament quarterfinals.

The Tornados (15-7), the tournament's third seed, advance to face second-seeded Mars Hill Thursday at 2 p.m. in a semifinal match. The sixth-seeded Pioneers finish their season with an 11-9 record.

In doubles, Claire Dillman and Michelle Prata struck first for the Tornados on court no. 2, topping Katie Hillis and Kristen Keefer, 8-2 for the first point of the match. Lindsay Shaeffer and Lindsay Hostetter put Brevard up 2-0 after a hard-fought 8-6 victory on court no. 1 by Courtney Conley and Taylor Patterson.

Blake Thompson and Megan Buckmaster put the Pioneers on the board on court no. 3, downing Elise Labus and Jennifer Nyman 9-7 to send the score to 2-1 heading into singles action.

Dillman recorded the first point of singles play for the Tornados on court no. 3 as she defeated Buckmaster in straight sets 6-2, 6-0. Prata finished shortly after on court no. 4, defeating Keefer 6-4, 6-2, then Shaeffer took the final point of the match on court no. 1, halting play as she clinched the win for the Tornados with her 6-2, 6-2 victory over Conley.

The match represented the conclusion of the Pioneer career of Thompson, the 2011 South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete for Women's Tennis and a 2011 second-team All-SAC selection. During her career, Thompson recorded 93 career victories in singles and doubles, including 36 conference wins. She had a 22-match winning streak in singles from 2009 to 2010, and helped Tusculum to two conference championships and one tournament title. Additionally, she was a three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete.

- TC -