ABILENE, Texas – It was a great day to be East Texas Baptist University in West Texas as the Tigers upset host and no. 1 seed Hardin-Simmons University, 4-3, claiming the program's first-ever American Southwest Conference Championship. Max Karseno gave ETBU the winning point at no. 5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, securing the championship.
 
"Our men said the whole year that their goal was to win the ASC and today our team accomplished just that!! Our guys battled an incredibly tough Hardin Simmons team to win a huge redemption match," said head coach Drew Lambert. "Our guys battled tough in doubles and then with a leg up, we stayed on the gas to get a great conference championship win."
 
HSU took the first match in no. 3 doubles as Baptiste Berthier and Fredrik Friberg fell, 6-2, to Nick Boquet and Brandon Curiel. Slade Austin and BT White claimed the no. 2 doubles win, 6-2, over Payne Smith and Jameson Sorrell. Sam Black and Max Karseno gave ETBU the first point taking the no. 1 doubles match, 6-1, over Zach Fowler and Paxton O'Shea.
 
Berthier put ETBU up 2-0 winning the first singles match at no. 4, 6-2, 6-2, over Curiel. HSU then earned their first point winning the no. 2 match as Jaco Snyman fell, 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, to Boquet. Black made it 3-1 for ETBU in a three-set win at no. 1 over Smith, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Austin fell at no. 6 to Maddux Foster, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, as HSU cut the lead to one, 3-2. White battled in a three-set tie-breaking loss at no. 3 to Fowler, 6-3, 34-5, 6-7 (7-4). Karseno ended the match at no. 5 in a three-set victory, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, over O'Shea for the win.
 
It is the second time in the last year that ETBU has defeated HSU in the ASC Tournament for the second win in the series. ETBU won last year, 5-3, in the ASC semi-final match in Waco. Before that win, ETBU was 0-8 vs. the Cowboys.
 
ETBU will now wait to see where they will be heading for the NCAA Tournament.