Wingate, N.C.----The 34th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs overcame a 3-0 deficit Friday afternoon, going 5-1 in singles play to defeat Tusculum College 5-4 in South Atlantic Conference women’s tennis action. The Bulldogs improve to 11-5 overall and 6-0 in the SAC, while Tusculum falls to 9-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference. Wingate has now won 23 of its last 24 SAC matches.

Tusculum swept through doubles action Wednesday afternoon, taking a 3-0 lead heading to singles play. Junior Ali Evers (Roswell, Ga.) got Wingate on the board with a 6-3, 6-3 win at number one singles. Sophomore Becca Thomas (Alpharetta, Ga.) won 6-4, 6-0 at number two singles to make it 3-2. Tusculum’s Emily Waters rallied after dropping the first set, winning 11-9 in the third set tie-breaker over sophomore Tiffany Williams (Cary, N.C.) in number four singles to give the Pioneers a 4-2 lead.

Junior Morgan Winston (Lawrenceville, Ga.) rallied after losing set one 6-2, winning 7-5 in set two and 10-8 in the tie-breaker to make it 4-3. Senior Kelli Ferguson (Concord, N.C.) won 6-3, 6-0 at number five singles to tie the match at four. Senior Helen Goreski (Oakville, Ontario) won the marathon clincher in number six singles. After winning the first set 7-5, Goreski lost 7-5 in set two to send the deciding match to a tie-breaker. Goreski trailed 7-6 to Megan Buckmaster in the tie-breaker, but won the next three points to make it 9-7. She would go on to win 10-8, clinching the match.

Wingate is back in action Saturday, hosting Mars Hill at 1 p.m.