Wingate University rallied to defeat Tusculum College 5-4 in a South Atlantic Conference Women's tennis match Friday afternoon at the Nichols Tennis Complex.

The 35th-ranked Bulldogs (8-5, 5-0 SAC) trailed 2-1 after doubles, but won four of the first five singles matches to defeat the 47th-ranked Pioneers (10-2, 2-1 SAC) in a matchup of unbeaten teams in the conference.

Tusculum won the first two doubles points as Emily Waters and Adrienne Kaye defeated Layla Tanik and Sydney Homan 8-2 at flight three, while Erin Mills and Kealee Heffner won 8-5 at flight two over Claudio De Andreis and Maria Garcia. Wingate salvaged a point at number-one doubles with a 9-7 victory to cut the deficit to 2-1 heading into singles.

Franziska Funke put the Pioneers on top 3-1 with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Andrea Ternera at flight two, but the Bulldogs came back with wins from Caroline Holland at flight four and De Andreis at flight one to tie the match at 3-3.

Wingate went ahead 4-3 with a victory from Tanik at flight five, and clinched the match as Oroma Womeodu earned a win at flight three. Waters earned a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Homan at flight six in the final match of the day to set the final score.

The Pioneers will return to action on Saturday, March 26 with a SAC match at Coker beginning at 10 a.m.