THE RUNDOWN
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Freshman Ben Westwick erased a 4-1 deficit in the second set and powered 20th-ranked Midwestern State to the national quarterfinals in a 4-3 win over 19th-ranked Indianapolis at the Sanlando Park Tennis Center on Tuesday.
 
MSU (20-5) makes its sixth overall trip to the Elite Eight and fifth in the last seven seasons. Top-ranked Columbus State awaits after defeating Mercyhurst in the Round of 16.
 
The Mustangs locked up their seventh 20-win campaign in school history and the first back-to-back 20 win seasons since 2000-01.
 
In the final match standing, Westwick dropped the first set to Matej Kostadinov and quickly fell behind 4-1 in the second. The LSC Freshman of the Year rattled off wins in three-straight games, but still faced match point, down 5-4 in the second. With the Greyhounds drawing the match even at 3-all, the Houston native won three-straight games to force a decisive third set.
 
The freshman built a commanding 4-1 lead in the third set against Indy's senior before punching the Mustangs ticket to the Elite Eight, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
 
Prior to his monumental comeback in singles, Westwick and partner Alberto Diaz helped turn the tide in doubles. The Mustangs' 24th-ranked pair upset the No. 9-ranked duo of Dario Huber and Kostadinov, 6-4, at the No. 1 flight to force the deciding point to the No. 2 line.
 
Senior Dillon Pineda and sophomore Nolan McCaig broke the serve of Magnus Mueller and Renato Lima twice to storm back from a 5-4 deficit and pick up a 7-5 win to clinch the 1-0 advantage for the Maroon and Gold.
 
Despite the early momentum, the Greyhounds managed first set wins on four of the first six courts. Diaz dominated Ariel Farji, 6-0, 6-4 at the No. 5 line and second-ranked Angel Palacios beat eighth-ranked Renato Lima, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 1 to stretch the lead to 3-1.
 
Down a set on each of the remaining courts, sophomore Alex Martinez Roca, Pineda and Westwick each forced third sets to decide the match. Pineda fell to Huber, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, at No. 3 before 36th-ranked Nils Hoffacker topped Martinez Roca, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, to pull the Greyhounds even at 3-all.
 
Shortly after Martinez Roca was defeated at the No. 2 line, Westwick forced a deciding set at No. 6. With all eyes upon him and the pressure of a berth in the national quarterfinals, the freshman roared out to an early advantage and never looked back, defeating Kostadinov, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
 
BOX SCORE
#20 Midwestern State (20-5) def. #19 Indianapolis (17-6)
NCAA DII Round of 16
Tuesday, May 21, 2019 | 3 p.m.
Altamonte Springs, Fla.
Sanlando Park Tennis Center
 
Doubles
No. 1 – #24 Ben Westwick/Alberto Diaz (MSU) def. #9 Matej Kostadinov/Dario Huber (UINDY) 6-4
No. 2 – Dillon Pineda/Nolan McCaig (MSU) def. Magnus Mueller/Renato Lima (UINDY) 7-5
No. 3 – Nils Hoffacker/Max Witthaus (UINDY) def. Denney Norrie/Angel Palacios (MSU) 6-3
 
Singles
No. 1 – #2 Angel Palacios (MSU) def. #8 Renato Lima (UINDY) 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 – #36 Nils Hoffacker (UINDY) def. Alex Martinez Roca (MSU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
No. 3 – Dario Huber (UINDY) def. Dillon Pineda (MSU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
No. 4 – Magnus Mueller (UINDY) def. Nolan McCaig (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 5 – Alberto Diaz (MSU) def. Ariel Farji (UINDY) 6-0, 6-4
No. 6 – Ben Westwick (MSU) def. Matej Kostadinov (UINDY) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3, 1, 2); Singles (5, 4, 1, 3, 2, 6)

Bracket
Round of 16 – May 21
#2 Barry def. #30 Southern Arkansas 4-0
#7 West Florida def. #13 Cameron 4-0
#5 South Carolina-Aiken def. #29 Drury 4-1
#4 Hawaii-Hilo def. #13 Bluefield State 4-0
#3 Hawaii Pacific def. #50 Southern New Hampshire 4-0
#6 Southwest Baptist def. #27 Concordia 4-1
#20 Midwestern State def. #19 Indianapolis 4-3
#1 Columbus State def. #39 Mercyhurst 4-0
Quarterfinals – May 22
#2 Barry vs. #7 West Florida– 3 p.m.
#5 South Carolina-Aiken vs. #4 Hawaii-Hilo– 3 p.m.
#3 Hawaii Pacific vs. #6 Southwest Baptist– 3 p.m.
#20 Midwestern State vs. #1 Columbus State– 3 p.m.
Semifinals – May 23
Barry/West Florida winner vs. South Carolina-Aiken/Hawaii-Hilo winner – 12 p.m.
Hawaii Pacific/Southwest Baptist winner vs. Midwestern State/Columbus State winner
Championship – May 24
Semifinal winners – 12 p.m.
 
UP NEXT
MSU meets top-ranked and defending national champion Columbus State at 3 p.m. in the national quarterfinals tomorrow afternoon.