GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College Women's tennis team clinched the number-two seed in the upcoming Food Lion South Atlantic Conference tournament by outlasting Queens University of Charlotte 5-4 in SAC action Saturday afternoon at the Nichols Tennis Complex.

The Pioneers (19-2, 10-1 SAC) needed a three-set win at number-six singles from Amanda Sumner to put away the Royals (13-3, 8-2 SAC), who would have grabbed the second seed with a victory over the Pioneers. Instead, they will play in first-round action on Wednesday at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Meanwhile, Tusculum will get a bye along with top-seeded Wingate into the semifinals, which will be played Thursday at 9 a.m. The championship match is scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m., also at Rock Hill.

Tusculum trailed 2-1 after doubles and faced a 4-2 deficit after Queens won two of the first three singles matches. However, Kealee Heffner beat Claire Hamilton 6-0, 7-6 at flight four and Adrienne Kaye set aside Jessee Clauson 6-2, 6-2 at flight five to set up the showdown match between Sumner and Farina Rafiq.

Sumner grabbed the first set by a 7-5 score, but Rafiq came back to grab the second set 6-2. Sumner then opened up a 5-2 lead in the deciding set and finished off the win by a 6-3 score to give the Pioneers the victory.

Queens led 2-1 after doubles, with the Tusculum victory coming from the team of Sumner and Emily Waters by an 8-1 score over Rafiq and Paige Ernest at flight three. Kate Hutchinson kept the Pioneers in the match in singles as she defeated Jaclyn Rock 6-1, 6-3 to cut the Royals' lead to 3-2 midway through singles.

Christin Rustscheff and Melissa Laing accounted for three of the Royals' four points, as they each won their respective singles matches and also teamed for an 8-1 victory at flight one of doubles.

Tusculum finishes up its regular season on Sunday at 2 p.m. with a non-conference match against Dalton State at the Nichols Tennis Complex.

- TC -