AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 28-ranked Midwestern State University Mustangs battled three hours before succumbing to the No. 15-ranked St. Edward's University Hilltoppers 5-3 in the championship match of the NCAA Division II Men's Central 1 Tennis Regional.

MSU, who entered the match as the number five seed, ends the season at 11-10.  St. Ed's, the region's top ranked squad, goes to 11-7 and advances to the NCAA Division II Championships in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The match was close throughout, with three singles events going into the third set.

Tied at 3-all, St. Ed's Brett Powers got a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win at number six over Travis Stegner to go up 4-3.

Then the Toppers Justin Raiti came back from being down 5-4 in the third set to beat MSU's Fernando Villarreal 2-6, 7-6, 7-5 at number five for the team victory.

MSU's Charles van Swelm was on serve to win in the third set tiebreaker at number three singles when the match ended.

Brett Emerson paced the way in singles for MSU, as the 17th ranked senior trounced 23rd ranked Walter Valarezo 6-2, 6-4.  Zac Dillard added a singles win at number four with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph against Boris Barrios.

But SEU got a 2-1 advantage early, claiming two of the three doubles matches as Emerson and Dillard fell to Tyler Lyon and Jacob Walley 8-6 at number one, and Kenton Venhuizen and Valarezo beat Stefan McKinney and Villarreal 8-5 at number two.

The Mustangs lone doubles victory was at number three as Stegner and van Swelm beat Raiti and Powers 8-6.

The Mustangs completed their 10th consecutive appearance in the NCAAs with the loss.