SUMTER, S.C. – The second-seeded Queens University of Charlotte women's tennis team picked up a 5-1 win over sixth-seeded Tusculum University on Friday morning in the SAC Women's Tennis Championship Semifinals at the Palmetto Tennis Center to advance to the championship match on Saturday morning.
 
Despite a 6-1 win from Queens in the top flight by the No. 7 duo Sasha Davidzenka/Yana Fleyer, Tusculum recorded a victory in two of the three matches to gain a 1-0 lead early on.
 
That would be only point the Pioneers gained on the day as Queens won five straight singles contests to seal the win. Fleyer, the nation's 27^th-ranked singles player, won 6-4, 7-6 (6-2) at No. 1 followed by a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 3 from Viktorija Veselinova and a 6-0, 6-3 triumph from Davidzenka.
 
Caity Klaassen (6-2, 6-2) and Grace Forbes (6-3, 6-1) also won in straight sets for the Royals.
 
Queens will take the court tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. against No. 15 Wingate University, the SAC Women's Tennis Regular Champions and tournament No. 1 seed.
 
#22 Queens University of Charlotte 5, Tusculum University 1
 
Singles competition
1. #27 Yana Fleyer (QUEENSW) def. Julia Lopez (TU) 6-4, 7-6 (6-2)
2. Viktorija Veselinova (QUEENSW) def. Emilie Hansen (TU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Sasha Davidzenka (QUEENSW) def. Caitlin McCullough (TU) 6-0, 6-3
4. Caity Klaassen (QUEENSW) def. Paulina Loretz (TU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Kate Halickman (QUEENSW) vs. Rory Church (TU) 2-6, unfinished
6. Grace Forbes (QUEENSW) def. Valentina Loretz (TU) 6-3, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. #7 Yana Fleyer/Sasha Davidzenka (QUEENSW) def. Julia Lopez/Paulina Loretz (TU) 6-1
2. Amber Lackey/Emilie Hansen (TU) def. Viktorija Veselinova/Caity Klaassen (QUEENSW) 6-3
3. Caitlin McCullough/Rory Church (TU) def. Kate Halickman/Katya Khramtsova (QUEENSW) 6-2
 
Match Notes:
Tusculum University 11-7, 7-5 SAC; Regional ranking #6
Queens University of Charlotte 11-3, 9-2; National ranking #22; Regional ranking #5