HARROGATE, Tenn. — Carson-Newman University won the final four singles matches and defeated Tusculum University 5-2 in South Atlantic Conference men’s tennis Tuesday afternoon.
The match began Monday at the Nichols Tennis Complex, but due to rain 20 minutes into the match it was suspended and completed indoors at Lincoln Memorial University. The 49th-ranked Eagles (9-5, 7-2 SAC) lost the doubles point but won five of the six singles matches to defeat the 29th-ranked Pioneers (14-5, 7-2 SAC).
Tusculum took the doubles point as Rens Verhaar and Tijn van Gorkom beat Gjorgji Jankulovski and Paul Gayk 6-1 at flight three, while Nemanja Subanovic and Miles Ray earned a 6-4 win at flight two over Marc Janse and Yehor Opanasenko.
After the Eagles tied the match at 1-1 with a win at flight three, the Pioneers went ahead 2-1 with Verhaar collecting a 6-3, 6-4 win at flight five over Gayk. However, the Eagles would close out the match with four straight victories, including a three-set win at flight two that clinched the win.
Tusculum was scheduled to play UVA Wise on the road on Tuesday, but the match was postponed due to the weather and the completion of the Carson-Newman match. The Pioneers and Cavaliers are working around the weather forecast to find a date to play their contest.
