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Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University senior Kelli Ferguson (Concord, N.C.) earned the deciding singles point in her final Food Lion South Atlantic Conference women’s tennis tournament, boosting the number 49 Bulldogs to a 5-3 victory over Anderson (S.C.) Saturday evening at the Rock Hill Tennis Center. Winners of 12 straight matches, Wingate (19-5 overall) claims the league’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division II tournament. The Anderson Trojans conclude the 2013 campaign 13-6 overall.

Ferguson survived 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 over Anderson sophomore Lindsay Gregory (Simpsonville, S.C.) at the number five spot. The Hollywood script writers couldn’t have outlined Ferguson’s story any better, as she and her teammates win their third consecutive Food Lion SAC tournament crown. The Capital One Academic All-America® candidate won her second straight SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award earlier in the week.
 
Bulldog sophomore Tiffany Williams (Cary, N.C.) was named the 2013 Food Lion SAC tournament MVP. Prior to her 6-3, 7-5 number four singles victory over Anderson freshman Hannah Ecleberry (Matthews, N.C.) Saturday evening, Williams had lost only three total games in three matches (singles and doubles). She has four SAC tournament singles victories in four career tries. She won the clinching match in Wingate’s 2012 championship match triumph over Anderson.
 
The Williams victory gave Wingate a 4-1 lead. Bulldog junior Morgan Winston (Lawrenceville, Ga.) nudged Wingate’s lead to 3-1 with a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over AU senior Camie Beaulieu-Brunet (Montreal, Quebec) at the number three singles flight. Winston defeated Beaulieu-Brunet by the exact same score in Wingate’s 7-2 regular season victory at Anderson (March 27).
 
The Trojans did not retreat, taking the next two matches to cut their deficit to 4-3. AU junior Lauren Trumbull (Anderson, S.C.) defeated Wingate senior Helen Goreski (Oakville, Ontario) 6-3, 6-3 to avenge a regular season loss at the number six flight. In the number one singles match, Trojan junior Avery Owens (Clinton, S.C.) defeated Bulldog junior Ali Evers (Roswell, Ga.) 7-6, 6-2 to set the stage for Ferguson’s heroics.
 
In doubles, the two teams traded 8-0 decisions to start the match. Williams and freshman Caroline Holland (Spartanburg, S.C.) gave the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead with a victory over Trumbull and freshman Alexandra Ebner (Hamburg, Germany) at the number three flight. Beaulieu-Brunet and Gregory returned the favor, blanking Winston and Ferguson at the number two position.
 
In a battle of All-SAC doubles teams, Wingate prevailed to take the 2-1 margin into singles. Evers and sophomore Becca Thomas (Alpharetta, Ga.) avenged an 8-6 regular season loss with an identical 8-6 number one flight triumph over Owens and sophomore Karen Ching (Rio de Janiero, Brazil). The Bulldog duo earned first team All-SAC honors in doubles, while Owens and Ching were recognized on the second team.
 
Wingate has qualified for the NCAA tournament a SAC-best 11 times. The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 1996, defeating St. Andrews (4-2) and Elon (4-1) to take their first (and only) trip to the championship site. North Florida ended Wingate’s 1996 run with a 4-0 victory in Edmond, Okla.
 
The Wingate women earned at-large bids to the NCAA Division II tournament in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2003. Wingate’s three SAC tournament titles give them automatic qualifications in 2011, 2012 and 2013.