HICKORY, N.C. --- Lenoir-Rhyne University defeated Tusculum University 4-3 in the conclusion of their South Atlantic Conference women's tennis match on Sunday. The match began Friday afternoon but was suspended due to rain.

The Bears (9-8, 5-3 SAC) won the doubles point on Friday and went up 3-1 after the singles matches that had started on Friday were finished. The 39th-ranked Pioneers (10-5, 6-1 SAC) closed to within 3-2 with two matches remaining, but the Bears clinched the win with the next finish to snap Tusculum's five-match winning streak.

In Friday's doubles play, the Pioneers got a 6-4 win at flight three as Elodie Baechler and Valentina Loretz teamed to beat Natalie Lutz and Evelin Menyhart. However, the Bears won the last two flights to grab the team point, including a 7-6 (7-5) win at flight two in the decisive match.

Tusculum quickly tied the score at 1-1 when the match resumed on Sunday, as Valentina Loretz needed just one point to defeat Sandy Mitsou 6-0, 6-1 at flight five. The Bears would win the other two unfinished singles matches, with Lucy Whelan beating Paulina Loretz 6-2, 7-5 at flight three and Evgeniya Pugina rallying for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 win at flight one over Leonie Floeth.

With the Pioneers down 3-1, Baechler began the comeback attempt as she beat Menyhart 6-4, 6-1 at flight four. However, Alicia Wahlberg clinched the win for the Bears as she downed Tabitha Howe 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at flight two. Ylva Frajford Landa cut into the final margin as she beat Jessica Fuchs 6-2, 6-2 at flight six in the final match of the day.

Tusculum will be back on the road Tuesday afternoon as the Pioneers visit 21st-ranked Anderson at 2 p.m. in a match that was postponed from March 3 due to weather. The Trojans won their seventh straight match and improved to 13-1 overall and 8-1 in the SAC with a 6-1 victory at UVA Wise on Saturday. Anderson's lone loss was a 5-2 setback to Newberry on Feb. 26.