Greeneville, Tenn.----After dropping all three doubles matches, the Wingate University Bulldogs fought back to tie the match at 4-4, but ultimately dropped a 5-4 decision at Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference women’s tennis action Monday afternoon. The Bulldogs suffer their first conference setback of the year, falling to 10-4 overall and 3-1 in the SAC. Tusculum wins its 11th straight match, improving to 12-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference.

The Pioneers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after sweeping through doubles play, notching wins of 8-5, 8-5 and 8-6.
                                                                                
Tusculum notched a 6-1, 6-4 win in number one singles to take a 4-0 lead. The Bulldogs got on the board with a 6-4, 6-0 win from freshman Becca Thomas (Alpharetta, Ga.) in number two singles action. Sophomore Morgan Winston (Lawrenceville, Ga.) followed with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 win in number four singles to make it 4-2.
 
A 5-7, 7-6, 6-4 win from sophomore Olivia Poole (Boca Raton, Fla.) in number three singles cut the deficit to 4-3. Freshman Tiffany Williams (Cary, N.C.) followed with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in number six singles to tie the match at four. Junior Kelli Ferguson (Concord, N.C.) won a second set tie break to send the final match to a third set. The final set went back and forth until Tusculum’s Kate Hutchinson won the final two games, taking the third set 7-5 to claim the victory for the Pioneers.
 
The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday, hosting Catawba College at 2:30 p.m.

Women’s Tennis Match Results
Wingate vs. Tusculum
Mar 26, 2012 at Greeneville, Tenn.
(TC Tennis Complex)

Singles competition
1. Holly Verner (TC) def. Ali Evers (WIN) 6-1, 6-4
2. Becca Thomas (WIN) def. Katelyn Doss (TC) 6-4, 6-0
3. Olivia Poole (WIN) def. Courtney Conley (TC) 5-7, 7-6, 6-4
4. Morgan Winston (WIN) def. Taylor Patterson (TC) 6-1, 3-6, 6-0
5. Kate Hutchinson (TC) def. Kelli Ferguson (WIN) 6-2, 6-7, 7-5
6. Tiffany Williams (WIN) def. Megan Buckmaster (TC) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Verner/Doss(TC) def. Evers/Thomas (WIN) 8-5
2. Conley/Patterson (TC) def. Poole/Williams (WIN) 8-5
3. Hutchinson/Buckmaster (TC) def. Winston/Ferguson (WIN) 8-6

Match Notes:
Tusculum 12-1 overall; 3-0 SAC
Wingate 10-4 overall; 3-1 SAC; Regional ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (2, 1, 3); Singles (1, 2, 4, 3, 6, 5)