BELTON, Texas- One goal is all it took for the UMHB women’s soccer team to punch its ticket for a rematch against Hardin-Simmons, as the Cru edged past Belhaven 1-0 in the ASC tournament quarterfinals.
The semifinal matchup against HSU, set for Friday in Abilene, pits two familiar opponents. The rivals faced off for the first time in UMHB’s D-III era in 1998, and five of the last six meetings have been decided by a single goal. Just two weeks ago, the two played in Belton, with the Cowgirls claiming the ASC regular season title with a 1-0 win in double-overtime. HSU won its tournament quarterfinal 4-0 over UT-Dallas on Tuesday night.
UMHB defender Chandler Jackson was responsible for the go-ahead goal in the 59th minute of Tuesday’s match, firing a shot from 33 yards out past Belhaven goalkeeper Julianne Wilson. It marked Jackson’s third goal of the year, and the first of her collegiate career in postseason play.
The Cru outshot Belhaven 7-2, with two of those shots on goal, both of which came from Jackson.
Additionally, Reagan Williams posted a clean sheet at goalkeeper for UMHB, playing all 90 minutes, and tallying two saves.
UMHB Men’s Soccer defeats ETBU 2-1
BELTON, Texas- The UMHB men’s soccer team’s winning streak is now at 11 games, and it shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
The Cru, who posted a perfect 10-0 record in ASC play, began the conference tournament with a 2-1 win on Tuesday over ETBU. It punched UMHB’s ticket to the ASC semifinals for the ninth time in program history, as the Crusaders will face Hardin-Simmons on Friday night in Belton. That match is set to begin at 5 p.m. CT. The last meeting between the two opponents, on Oct. 23, resulted in a 3-0 UMHB shutout, as the Cru captured the ASC regular season title.
It did not take long for Patrick Roach to find the back of the net on Tuesday night, as the senior forward put UMHB in front 1-0 in the 16th minute. He converted on a penalty kick, scoring his seventh goal of the season.
But ETBU’s counter was almost automatic, as the Tigers moved the ball into Crusader territory and earned a free kick on a foul. That free kick led to a goal from Isaiah Simien in the 19th minute.
That was the way it stayed until halftime, tied at 1-1, though both teams began the second half with an obvious sense of urgency. Ethan Dacaret put the Cru ahead 2-1, scoring the eventual game-winner in the 50th minute as the shot ricocheted into the back of the net.
Dacaret’s shot was one of 15 on the night for UMHB, as the Cru outshot ETBU 15-10, and also had two more shots on goal than the Tigers (6-4).
The UMHB defense was also phenomenal, especially in the final 10 minutes of the match. The Crusaders kept ETBU outside of striking distance, and even when the Tigers did manage to get off a shot in the second half, Dalton Lloyd was there for the save. Lloyd, the ASC’s most recent Defensive Player of the Week, tallied three saves, including a critical one on a shot from Simien in the 79th minute.
UMHB hosts the conference semifinals on Nov. 5 in Belton, and the Cru Soccer Field will also serve as the site for the ASC Championship on Nov. 7.
