GREENVILLE, Tenn. - The Anderson University women's tennis team dropped a narrow, 5-4, South Atlantic Conference decision to Tusculum Saturday afternoon at the Nichols Tennis Complex.

Anderson slipped to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the league, while Tusculum improved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

Tusculum won two of the three doubles' points, while AU's Avery Owens rallied to defeat the Pioneers' Kate Hutchinson, 1-6, 6-0, 10-3, at No. 1 and Karen Ching topped TC's Taylor Patterson, 6-3, 6-1, at the No. two flight to even the match at 3-3.

But Tusculum won three of the final four singles' matches to earn the team victory.

Anderson returns home to face Catawba on Tuesday, with first-serve slated for 2 p.m. at the Max Grubbs Memorial Courts.

Tennis Match Results
Anderson vs Tusculum
Feb 23, 2013 at Greeneville, Tenn.
(Nichols Tennis Complex)

Tusculum 5, Anderson 4
Singles competition
1. Avery Owens (AU-W) def. Kate Hutchinson (TCW) 1-6, 6-0, 10-3
2. Karen Ching (AU-W) def. Taylor Patterson (TCW) 6-3, 6-1
3. Erin Mills (TCW) def. Hannah Ecleberry (AU-W) 7-5, 6-0
4. Emily Waters (TCW) def. Alexandra Ebner (AU-W) 6-1, 6-0
5. Megan Buckmaster (TCW) def. Lindsay Gregory (AU-W) 6-3, 6-1
6. Lauren Trumbull (AU-W) def. Amanda Sumner (TCW) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Avery Owens/Karen Ching (AU-W) def. Taylor Patterson/Erin Mills (TCW) 8-1
2. Kate Hutchinson/Megan Buckmaster (TCW) def. Lindsay Gregory/Alexandra Ebner (AU-W) 9-8
3. Emily Waters/Amanda Sumner (TCW) def. Lauren Trumbull/Marcela Gallegos (AU-W) 8-4
Match Notes:
Anderson 4-2, 2-1 SAC
Tusculum 4-1, 1-0 SAC
T-5:30 A-76