MIAMI SHORES, Fla. - The fourth-seeded Rollins College Tars overcame the weather and the fifth-seeded Tusculum College Pioneers 5-0 to advance to the finals of the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Southeast-II Regional Tournament on Friday at the Buccaneer Tennis Center.

The Tars (23-2, ranked No. 11 in NCAA II) led 1-0 in doubles after Sonia Bernal and Margaret Junker closed out their match with Jennifer Sparks and Amanda Pike 8-1 at No. 2 doubles. But lightning and rain forced a delay of almost four hours before the teams could get back on the court.

When play resumed, the Tars closed out their remaining two doubles matches over the Pioneers (20-4, No. 27 in NCAA II). Silvia Frandji and Anastasiya Shevchenko completed a shutout over Blake Thompson and Bronwyn Hartley 8-0 at the third flight, while the ninth-ranked Tars duo of Marnie Mahler and Roshni Luthra beat Katelyn Doss and Caroline Crowe 8-2 at the top spot.

In singles, Junker defeated Thompson 6-0, 6-0 at the fifth flight. Luthra sealed the match at No. 4 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Doss for the final point.

The Tars will now face the Barry Buccaneers, who defeated Saint Leo 5-0, in the regional final on Saturday at 11:30 am.

Tusculum's 20-win season matches the most victories in school history as the Pioneers were making their sixth NCAA postseason appearance in the last eight years.

- NCAA -

No. 9 Rollins 5, No. 27 Tusculum 0
Singles competition
1. #13 Marnie Mahler (RC) vs. Jennifer Sparks (TC), DNF
2. Sonia Bernal (RC) vs. Bronwyn Hartley (TC), DNF
3. Anastasiya Shevchenko (RC) vs. Amanda Pike (TC), DNF
4. Roshni Luthra (RC) def. Katelyn Doss (TC), 6-0, 6-0
5. Margaret Junker (RC) def. Blake Thompson (TC), 6-0, 6-0
6. Silvia Frandji (RC) vs. Heidi von der Lage (TC), DNF

Doubles competition
1. #9 Mahler/Luthra (RC) def. Doss/Caroline Crowe (TC), 8-2
2. Bernal/Junker (RC) def. Sparks/Pike (TC), 8-1
3. Frandji/Shevchenko (RC) def. Thompson/Hartley (TC), 8-0

Match Notes: Tusculum 20-4; National ranking #27
Rollins 23-2; National ranking #9
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (,5,4)
Match delayed for 3:52 due to lightning
Official: Cecil Wise