Midwestern State kicks off the postseason against St. Edward's (Texas) Friday afternoon in the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship's opening round at the Wildcat Soccer Pitch in Abilene. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
 
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 Live Stats are available courtesy of Abilene Christian Media Relations.  LINK
 
ABOUT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
 
 The 48-team NCAA Division II Championship field opens with first two rounds of play Friday and Sunday.
 
As the Lone Star Conference's automatic qualifier, Midwestern State occupies the No. 5 seed in the South Central Region and faces No. 6 St. Edward's. The winner advances to face top seed and host Abilene Christian Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
 
The other half of the South Central bracket is set for Friday and Sunday in Edmond, Okla. No. 3 seed Central Missouri battles No. 6 Dallas Baptist (Texas) Friday at 2 p.m. with the winner moving on to face Central Oklahoma Sunday at 2 p.m.
 
The winners advance to the Round of 16 on Nov. 18 for a national quarterfinal berth against the victor of the West Region field which includes Cal-San Diego, Cal State-Los Angeles, Seattle Pacific, Chico State (Calif.) and Grand Canyon (Ariz.).
 
The NCAA Division II Final Four is slated for Dec. 1-3 in Pensacola, Fla.
 
MSU IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
 
Midwestern State is making its second appearance in the NCAA Division II Championships.
 
The Mustangs dropped a 3-1 result to Truman State (Mo.) in the first round of the 2010 NCAA II tournament played in Warrensburg, Mo on Nov. 12, 2010.
 
THE MATCHUP
 
Midwestern State and St. Edward's (Texas) have faced each other just once in the last three seasons as the Hilltoppers claimed 2-0 result on a wet Tom Thompson Field on the campus of Central Oklahoma on Sep. 12, 2010.
 
The Hilltoppers are led by a pair of All-Heartland Conference first-team forwards in sophomore Rachel Murray (13 goals and 8 assists) and senior Kelly Servage (9 goals and 5 assists). The duo was joined on the league's first team by junior midfielder Olivia Collado (1 goal, 2 assists), freshman defender Vanessa Sanchez and senior goalkeeper Claire Tilton (13-2-1, 0.53 GAA).
 
St. Edward's has won nine of its last 10 matches with its lone loss coming to Dallas Baptist during the stretch. The Hilltoppers fell 2-0 to Central Oklahoma back in September when they also fought Newman (Kan.) to a scoreless draw.
 
Midwestern State is paced by a dynamic forward duo of its own in All-LSC first teamers Kelsey Hill (11 goals, 9 assists) and Lindsay Pritchard (6 goals, 6 assists).
 
Junior All American Hanna Staley and junior goalkeeper Mallory Whitworth key an MSU back line which has limited the opposition to a 0.67 goals against average while notching eight shutouts.
 
St. Edward's owns a 7-4-2 edge in the series that dates back to the 1995 season. The Mustangs are 0-5-2 since last defeating the Hilltoppers during the 1999 campaign.