JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College Women's tennis team outlasted Carson-Newman University 6-3 in South Atlantic Conference action Tuesday afternoon.

The 44th-ranked Pioneers (18-3, 9-1 SAC) went to three sets in five of the six singles matches, but won three of them to earn the victory over the Eagles (13-6, 5-6 SAC).

The Pioneers took a 2-1 lead in doubles as Franziska Funke and Amanda Sumner defeated Brooke Sanderson and Ali Harris 9-7 at flight two, while Emily Waters and Adrienne Kaye posted an 8-1 victory over Mallory Jackson and Gabrielle Wood at flight three.

Tusculum went ahead 3-1 as Kaye downed Jackson 6-0, 6-2 at flight four, but Carson-Newman came back with three-set wins at flights one and three to knot the match at 3-3. Funke gave the Pioneers the lead at 4-3 as she defeated Patricia Guerreiro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, and Waters earned the clinching point with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win at flight six over Wood. Sarah Baker closed out the match for the Pioneers with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory at flight five over Sanderson.

Tusculum will host Queens on Friday at 3 p.m. in the completion of a match that was suspended by rain on March 5. The Pioneers led the Royals 3-1 when the match was stopped, with the winner earning the number-two seed in the upcoming SAC Tournament.

- TC -