HICKORY, N.C. - Alicia Wahlberg clinched a dramatic 4-3 victory for Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Tennis over No. 39 Tusculum on Sunday afternoon. The match started on Friday but was suspended to Sunday due to rain and slippery court conditions. Lenoir-Rhyne improves to 9-8 overall and 5-3 in South Atlantic Conference play with the victory. Today also marked the first win over a ranked opponent this season for Lenoir-Rhyne.

Doubles play was completed on Friday before the rains came and Lenoir-Rhyne earned the crucial point. Wahlberg and Lucy Whelan earned a win in first doubles by a score of 6-3 and Evgeniya Pugina and Sandy Mitsou won 7-6 (7-5) in a tiebreaker to clinch the point. 

Singles play was completed on Sunday in dramatic fashion. With LR up 3-2, it was Wahlberg who would seal the win for Lenoir-Rhyne with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory in second singles. Pugina also earned a singles victory in the number one spot with a comeback victory (5-7, 6-2, 6-3). The final LR singles victory came from Whelan in the third spot in straight sets (6-2, 7-5). Tusculum took victories in fourth, fifth and sixth singles but came up short on Sunday. 

The win came in the head coaching debut of Charlotte Clarke.

This was the first of a four-match home stand for LR who returns to action on Tuesday when Mars Hill comes to town for a 1:00 p.m. match.