WISE, Va. --- The Tusculum women's tennis team picked up an 8-1 victory at UVa-Wise in the opener of the fall portion of its 2017-18 season on Saturday afternoon.

The Pioneers (1-0) swept all three doubles points from the Cavaliers (0-2), then won the first five singles matches to come away with the victory.

In doubles, the Pioneers' sister teams of Annie McCullough and Caitlin McCullough along with Amber Lackey and Jessica Lackey were victorious by identical 8-2 scores. The McCulloughs defeated Daria Tyshchenko and Taylor Carter at flight one, while the Lackeys teamed to beat Aya Melhem and Mackenzie Lawson at flight two. At flight three, Lyndsey Pulliam and Javiera Ortiz defeated Serena Burgess and Gabrielle Beville by a score of 8-4.

In singles play, the Pioneers built their lead as Amber Lackey defeated Melhem 6-1, 6-0 at flight four, then clinched the match as Caitlin McCullough beat Tyshchenko 6-4, 6-0 at flight one. The Pioneers picked up their remaining wins as Ortiz downed Carter 7-5, 7-5 at flight three, Julia Lopez defeated Lawson 6-2, 6-1 at flight four, and Jessica Lackey shut out Burgess 6-0, 6-0 at flight five.

The Pioneers will play their second of three fall matches on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at Emmanuel before hosting King on Monday, Sept. 25 in their lone home match of the fall.