HOUGHTON, N.Y. -- The third time was the charm for Houghton men's tennis as the top-seeded Highlanders won their first Empire 8 title with a 5-4 victory over No. 2 Nazareth on Sunday in the Kerr-Pegula Field House.

It was Houghton's third-straight E8 championship appearance and second as the No. 1 seed.

The Highlanders had defeated the Golden Flyers twice during the regular season by scores of 8-1 and 6-3, and this title match was close throughout. Houghton needed a three-set win by Matt Cicero in the last singles match of the day to grab the win.

Houghton looked to have the match in hand with strong play in doubles. All three doubles tandems jumped out to early leads, but while the second doubles tandem of Ethan Yung and Levi Webb cruised to an 8-2 win, first doubles and third doubles suffered come-back losses, putting the hosts into a 1-2 deficit heading into singles action.

Ethan Yung (6-4, 6-4), Jake Fisler (6-3, 6-0) and Micah Schilke (6-2, 6-2) secured wins in first, second and third singles, while Houghton lost in sixth singles to put the team score at 4-3 Houghton with two matches remaining. Levi Webb pushed his opponent to three sets in fifth singles, before succumbing (2-6, 6-1, 2-6), putting the team's title hopes on the shoulders of Cicero in fourth singles. Cicero dropped the first set, 2-6, but bounced back to claim a 6-2 win in the second set.

The third frame was all Cicero early as he jumped out a 3-0 lead. The match become the focal point for the fans and both teams who gathered around the court for the final points. After splitting the next four games, Cicero led 5-2, and calmly closed out the match by watching his opponent's final shot land just wide. With the winning point secured, the jubilant Highlander team rushed onto the court and piled onto the junior hero. Cicero earned E8 Tournament MVP following the match.

"It's hard to describe what today feels like. This has been the dream for the guys for so long, long before I came to this program, and it's one that we have fought passionately for over the last three years. We told the guys before the match, 'We are so proud of you, regardless of what happens today. You've earned the right to be here contending for this title, you've used every set-back, every lost match, every victory, and every day as an opportunity to get better and grow as a team. So we are proud of you, and you should be proud of yourselves', said Head Coach Tonya McGraner.

"I think that just shows the mentality we went into the day with. This has been a moment many years in the making, especially the last two where they were forced to be patient, and their determination and desire was tested. I think we couldn't be happier right now with these athletes and where the program is headed. A couple people deserve special recognition and thanks for this moment: Matt Cicero of course for being our clinch victory, Matt has shown time and time again that he is capable of clinching intensely competitive matches. Our amazing seniors, Ethan Yung, who was an incredible competitor going undefeated all season, and Jake Fisler, our third-year captain who has lead this team with dedication and love, and who came back for a fifth season to see this moment made possible. A very warm thank you to Dr. Matt Webb, director of athletics, and all the support-staff, Sports Info, Trainers, COVID-team, the Empire 8, etc.for all the behind-the-scenes work making this season possible and for their unending support of our programs. Thank you to our fans, parents, my family and others, and all our other supporters because you do so much to making moments like these mean so much for our athletes. And of course a very emphatic thank you to our amazing assistant coach Zach Shilvock for his tireless work behind the scenes and his expert coaching, love, and care for this program and our players. I feel truly blessed to be a part of this program and to know the guys on this team. Congratulations to them on this amazing victory."

With the win, Houghton earned spot in the NCAA National Tournament. The date, opponent and location of Houghton's next match will be announced in the coming week.