CHICO, Calif. - The chanted questions seemed rhetorical as the Chico State student body rained down the chants of "Who let the air out?" and "How'd you get here?"

The throng may have been referring to the prank that left four flat tires between two vans which were Midwestern State's transportation to the University Soccer Stadium Saturday morning.

But the second-ranked Mustangs had quick and resounding answers for each question.

Junior striker David Freeland scored the first of his three goals just 40 seconds into the match as MSU quickly deflated any Chico State hopes of returning to a Final Four with a convincing 5-0 whipping of the Wildcats in the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals.

"If we score quickly in a game, we just seem to keep it going," Freeland said. "We just build momentum and gain confidence. We've been looking forward to the Final Four all year."

The Mustangs (19-0-2) is making their second trip to the NCAA Division II Final Four and will face Rollins (Fla.) on Thursday, Dec. 2 at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium on the campus of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky. as part of the NCAA II Fall Sports Festival.

Freeland took advantage of a mistruck goal kick inthe opening minute to kickstart the Mustangs.

"The center back just didn't trap it and it popped right to me for a one-on-one with the keeper," Freeland said.

Freeland easy buried it past Chico State keeper Sam Evans from about 15 yards out, but the fun was just getting started for Freeland and the Mustangs.

Freeland took a serve down the left flank from Bryce Taylor in the eighth and brisked by the Wildcats back line to again beat Evans - this time to the near post to give MSU an early 2-0 lead.

"I felt confident and that we matched up well with them," MSU coach Doug Elder said. "I felt they would have problems with our attack, but I didn't think it would turn out quite like this. These boys just keep surprising me."

Junior midfielder Chris Dwyer pushed the lead to 3-0 before intermission with when he headed a deflection in the box over the keeper's head and into the net.

The onslaught continued into the second half as Freeland completed his hat trick in the 48th minute heading in Chad Caldwell's flick and VcMor Eligwe collected a loose ball in the 82nd minute and drilled his 11th goal of the season off of the inside of the far post to close out the scoring.

MSU senior goalkeeper Raul Herrera made four saves to notch eighth shutout of the season and program-best 20th career clean sheet.

The Mustangs improved 1-3-1 in the national quarterfinal round and it was their first win in three tries in three postseason tries in the State of California which included lossed at Sonoma State in 2003 and at Cal State-Dominguez Hills in 2008.

"To make a statement like this is something to be proud of," Elder said. "This just breaks our California curse."

Chico State closes the season at 15-7.