MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Centre women's tennis upset Birmingham Southern Friday in the opening round of the Southern Athletic Association Tournament, advancing to the semifinals with a 5-3 victory.

The six-seeded Colonels (9-11) also avenged a regular season home loss to the Panthers (12-6), who entered as the tournament's three-seed.

Birmingham Southern claimed the match's first point at No. 1 doubles, but the Colonels answered with an 8-4 victory from Caroline Stallings (Clarksville, Md.) and Emily Zelichenok (Louisville, Ky.) at No. 2.

Momentum hinged on court three, where Kenny Snow (Elizabethtown, Ky.) and Zena Maddux (Hopkinsville, Ky.) went toe-to-toe with Lexie Dillard and Alana Owens. The Centre duo ultimately won 9-8 after taking the tiebreak, 7-3.

The Panthers overcame a 2-1 deficit when they defeated the Colonels during the regular season, but couldn't manage the same comeback Friday.

Aliza Williams (Cincinnati) earned Centre's first singles point with a decisive 6-0, 6-2 win against Isabella Wisener at No. 2.

Maddux followed with a straight-set, 6-2, 6-3 win against Emily Enoch at No. 5 singles to contribute her second point of the day.

With the Colonels up 4-3, Zelichenok's win at No. 4 sent the Colonels on to Saturday's semifinal. She defeated Virginia Hammond, 6-2, 6-2. 

Centre will face two-seed Millsaps Saturday at 11 a.m. ET with a chance to advance to the SAA title match. The Colonels fell to the Majors, 5-1, back on Mar. 30.