The Thomas Jefferson Raiders took control of the South Puget Sound League Central Division title chase Thursday with a 3-2 win over the defending state champion Decatur Gators.

The victory improved the Raiders to 4-0 in the SPSL Central and dropped the Gators to 3-1 in league play.

Jefferson got a huge three-set win from Vanessa Sariego and Krista Nakamura at No. doubles. The TJ pair beat Decatur’s Christina Sessoms and Jen Kanesta, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 to win the decisive third point for the Raiders.

Jefferson’s other victories came from Breanna Ziccarelli at No. 2 singles over Selina Schugarts, 6-2, 6-4, and Hayley Albrecht and Cherina Warnes over Alicia Hansen and Jessica Kim at No. 3 doubles, 6-3, 6-4.

Decatur got expected wins from Sara Lin at No. 1 singles over Averi Kitsch in a rugged three-setter, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, and the doubles team of Meghan Cassens and Chanel Carlson. The Decatur twosome beat TJ’s Mackenzie Qualls and Caroline Min at No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-1.

In other tennis action:

Decatur remained unbeaten with a 4-1 win over Auburn Riverside Tuesday. The Gators’ wins came from Lin at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-2, Cassens and Allison Lewis at No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 7-5, Sessoms and Kanesta at No. 2, 6-1, 7-5, and Carlson and Alyssa Hanson at No. 3, 2-6, 6-4, 16-14.

Thomas Jefferson moved to 3-0 in the SPSL Central Division with a pair of 5-0 wins over Federal Way Tuesday and Curtis Wednesday.

The Raiders’ wins against the Eagles came from Kitsch at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-0, Ziccarelli at No. 2, 6-4, 6-0, Qualls and Min at No. 1 doubles, 6-4, 6-3, Sariego and Nakamura at No. 2, 7-6 (4), 7-5 and Albrecht and Michelle Lee at No. 3, 6-2, 6-0.

Jefferson’s wins Wednesday came from Ziccarelli and Lee in singles, Qualls and Min, Nakamura and Warnes and Mari Hamashima and Charlene Yamasaki in doubles.