WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State won all six singles matches in its final dual match before the conference tournament and defeated Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday afternoon at MSU Tennis Center, 6-1. With the win, the Mustangs enter the Lone Star Conference Men's Tennis Championship as the No. 3 seed.
Arkansas-Fort Smith had a promising start with a victory in all three doubles matches, but the Mustangs did not surrender another point for the remainder of the day.
Luis Diaz Argente, ranked No. 54 in the nation among Division II singles players, defeated Anis Ramchane at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, clinching the dual match victory for MSU and improving his record to 11-10 in singles matches this season.
Charles Heffernan is 6-2 in conference matches after dispatching Juan Rosello, 7-6, 6-3, in the No. 2 singles position.
Marcal Miret Avante has won eight of his last 10 singles matches following a 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3 victory over Eduardo Bribiesca at No. 3 singles. Miret is 14-7 this season.
Germano Setti has a seven-match winning streak but was pushed into a third set by Killian Darneaux. Setti outlasted his opponent at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
Killian Guillou rebounded from his first loss of the season with a resounding 6-0, 6-2 victory at No. 5 singles over Juan Patina.
Stephen Slocombe closed out the day with a 6-3, 7-5 win at No. 6 singles, defeating Nicolas Retamales, 6-3, 7-5.
Midwestern State is 13-9 overall and finished conference play with a 6-2 record. UAFS lost its last two dual matches but qualified for the postseason with a 3-6 record in the LSC. The Lions are 5-11 overall and the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament.
The Mustangs will play No. 6-seed UT Permian Basin in the quarterfinals of the Lone Star Conference Men's Tennis Championship. The dual match begins at noon Thursday and will take place at the Arlington Tennis Center.
Top-seeded UT Tyler tangles with No. 8-seed Western New Mexico. No. 2-seed Cameron meets No. 7-seed St. Mary's, and No. 4-seed Lubbock Christian faces UAFS. All three of those quarterfinal duals begin Thursday at 8:30 a.m.
With a win on Thursday, Midwestern State would play the winner of the Cameron vs. St. Mary's dual in the semifinals on Friday at 9:30 a.m.
The final is scheduled to be played Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
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-- MSUMustangs.com --
