Women's Tennis | 4/22/2017 6:08:00 PM

Box Score

Rock Hill, S.C.----The 2017 South Atlantic Conference women's tennis championship match came down to a third-set tiebreaker, which No. 39 Tusculum College won to edge top-seeded and 33rd-ranked Wingate University 5-4 Saturday afternoon. Tusculum improves to 20-7 overall, while the Bulldogs fall to 17-4 on the season.

Tusculum took a 2-1 lead in doubles play, picking up tight 8-6 and 9-7 decisions at one and two doubles. Senior Layla Tanik (Raleigh, N.C.) teamed with sophomore Claudia De Andreis (Milan, Italy) for an 8-4 victory at three doubles.

Tanik won 6-3, 6-1 at number five singles to tie the match, while De Andreis prevailed 6-3, 6-3 at number one singles to give Wingate a 3-2 lead. Tusculum won at two singles to tie the match, but sophomore Sydney Homan (Huntsville, Ala.) prevailed 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 at six singles to put the 'Dogs on top 4-3. The Pioneers won in three sets at three and four singles, with the match coming down to a third-set tiebreaker at number four singles.

Wingate will learn its postseason fate Tuesday when the NCAA Tournament field is announced on NCAA.com. The Bulldogs were ranked eighth in the most recent NCAA Southeast Region poll.