WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The Midwestern State Mustangs played hard back home at the MSU Tennis Center on Tuesday, but just couldn't shake off the Patriots of Dallas Baptist who came from behind to grab a 5-4 victory from the Mustangs on Tuesday afternoon.
 
No. 35 MSU fell to 5-8 on the season, while the 28th ranked Patriots improved to 12-1 overall.
 
"We put ourselves in a position to win, and that's what we haven't done lately," said Coach Scott Linn.  "We're a young team and this was a learning experience."
 
The Mustangs opened the match by claiming two of the three doubles points for a 2-1 advantage, but saw DBU claim four of the six doubles points to grab the win.
 
Rozike van Rensburg and Kendra Casey both got a pair of wins for the Mustangs.
 
Van Rensburg got the point at No. 1 singles by beating Natalie Gennissen 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 and teamed with Lindsey Buenger to win at No. 3 doubles over Leah Smith and Arianne Goddard 8-3.
 
Casey had no problem with Goddard at No. 5 singles, winning 6-3, 6-3 and paired with Taylor Coffman at No. 2 doubles to crack Leah Rutt and Katie Daugherty 8-3.
 
But Coffman fell to Daugherty at No. 4 singles 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 and Buenger lost to Smith at No. 6 singles 6-2, 6-3.
 
Lindsey Holcomb and Sarita Adhikary dropped the No. 1 double point to Gennissen and Hannnah Innes 8-2, before Adhikary fell to Innes at No. 3 singles 6-3, 6-3.
 
Holcomb battled it out at No. 2 against Rutt, winning the first set 6-2, but falling 4-6 in the second.  In the deciding set, Holcomb got up 5-4 over Rutt, but lost three straight games to fall 7-5.
 
"It was the best match at doubles for van Rensburg and Buenger this season," Linn started.  "And Rizzo (van Rensburg) was solid at the top."
 
"Even though they didn't win, Holcomb and Coffman played well and battled hard."
 
Midwestern returns to action on Thursday at 3 p.m. against Central Oklahoma in Edmond.