SEARCY - No. 21 Harding defeated Emporia State 5-2 Wednesday at the Elliott Tennis Complex.

Harding took a 1-0 lead after winning two of the three doubles matches. Cas de Ruiter and Adrian Solorzano defeated Alexis Mattenberger and Gwendal Mazuay 6-3 in the No. 1 doubles match. Florian Gayme and Cian Mikkelsen won a close No. 2 doubles match over Anton Sarunic and Luke West 7-6 (7-5). Emporia State's Roko Kacer and Hachem Fahem defeated Edoardo D'Arrigo and Caleb Folse 6-3 in the No. 3 doubles match.

In singles play, four of the six matches went to a third set. Harding's Solorzano, ranked No. 24 nationally, defeated Mostafa Elbasnaly 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 at the No. 2 spot. Mikkelsen clinched the match for Harding with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory over Mattenberger at No. 3 singles.

At No. 1 singles, Harding's de Ruiter, ranked No. 10 nationally, prevailed over Emporia State's Sarunic, ranked No. 22, in a hard-fought match. It was de Ruiter's fifth victory over a nationally ranked opponent this season. The final score was 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-1).

Emporia State's Kacer defeated D'Arrigo in straight sets 7-5, 7-5 at No. 6 singles, and Luis Agullo of Harding beat Duvan Santiago Torres 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at No. 5. Diego Calvo of Emporia State won a three-set match over Folse 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 at No. 4 singles.

Harding improves to 14-5. Emporia State is now 12-7.

Harding will play its final MIAA-South Division match Friday at 11 a.m. at Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant.