BELTON, Texas- As we look back on a very successful week for UMHB athletics, it is now time to recognize True To The Cru’s Players of the Week, presented by Montgomery Chiropractic.
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On offense, wide receiver Brandon Jordan earned the Player of the Week honor, leading UMHB in receptions (6) and receiving yardage (101 yards) along with two touchdowns. After missing the Southwestern victory, Jordan once again proved to be a reliable target for quarterback Kyle King. In fact, the two connected twice on UMHB’s second drive of the fourth quarter, with the second completion resulting a the go-ahead score to put the Cru in front 34-28. He currently leads the team in receptions (13), ranks second in the ASC in receiving touchdowns (4) and third in yards per game (90.7). Jordan earned 58 percent of the vote.
True To The Cru’s Defensive Player of the Week honor actually goes to two outstanding members of the defensive front. Linebacker Jacob Mueller and defensive end E’Monte Smith led UMHB’s second-half shutout of the Cowboys, and each tallied 50 percent of the vote. Mueller led the Crusaders in tackles (10), six of which were solo. He also added 2.5 tackles for loss, as he remains the conference leader in that category. Smith was a key force in the pass rush, with 2.0 sacks. He posted 2.0 tackles for loss, and seven total tackles.
On special teams, Jefferson Fritz earned the honor for the second time this season. The safety, who doubles as UMHB’s punter and a punt returner, was key in the Cru’s performance. He punted twice, averaging 46.5 yards a punt, and one was downed inside the 20-yard line. His longest of the day went for 57 yards. As a returner, Fritz had two returns, resulting UMHB’s only positive yardage on punt returns. He had two returns, for a total of 20 yards.
Volleyball Player of the Week: Kylie Metcalf
Metcalf led UMHB to a 3-0 week as the Crusaders improved to 13-0 on the season. She tallied 24 kills over the three matches, including a season-high 12 kills in Tuesday’s sweep of Schreiner. On the week, the Pflugerville, Texas native hit .429, and is ranked seventh in the ASC in season hitting percentage (.279).
Women’s Soccer Player of the Week: Maria Rico
Rico earns this week’s honor after leading the Crusader offense through its first week of conference action. In Thursday’s 2-1 loss at ETBU, Rico fired eight shots, seven on goal, and netted UMHB’s only goal of the contest it the 84th minute. Two days later, as the Cru bested LeTourneau 3-1, she scored her second goal of the week, finding the back of the net at the 24:06 mark. The junior forward now leads UMHB in goals, with five.
Men’s Soccer Player of the Week: Harper Roland
It isn’t often a defender earns the ASC’s Offensive Player of the Week, but that is exactly what Roland did. He scored a team-high two goals in a 2-0 week for the Cru, not to mention his solid defensive play. UMHB outscored ETBU and LeTourneau by a combined 4-1 due to its strong defense. Against ETBU, he found the back of the net in the 68th minute, scoring what proved to be the game-winner in a 2-1 victory. In Saturday’s 2-0 shutout of LeTourneau, he was responsible for the Crusaders’ first goal of the match, scoring at the 5:02 mark.
