As we plan to do each weekend moving forwards, here is a look at some of the biggest storylines and notable achievements from Saturday’s contests for UMHB Athletics.
UMHB Women’s Soccer now 11-0, off to best start in program history
UMHB women’s soccer dominated the first half offensively against Sul Ross State on Saturday afternoon. But the Crusaders did more than just roll to a 5-0 win over the Lobos in Alpine. They made history.
The victory extended UMHB’s record to a perfect 11-0, as the nation’s 19th-ranked team continued to find success. It is the best start to a season in program history.
Last year’s squad, which won UMHB’s first ASC women’s soccer championship, posted a 17-1-1 record, and began the season 10-0. But a 0-0 tie against Howard Payne in the 11th match halted the double-digit winning streak.
HPU nearly snapped UMHB’s perfect start this season, too, as the Crusaders battled the Yellow Jackets on Thursday night in Brownwood, winning 1-0 on Mackenzie Worthy’s go-ahead penalty kick in the 73rd minute. Though UMHB outshot HPU, 20-3, 10 saves from HPU goalkeeper Emily Williamson kept the Yellow Jackets within striking distance.
But another strong showing from the UMHB back line helped The Cru notch its fourth straight shutout. HPU had just one shot, off a corner kick, after Worthy’s goal.
UMHB had no problem following up that victory with a win in Alpine on Saturday, as the offense caught fire in the opening 45 minutes. Kelsey White found the back of the net in the 19th minute for The Cru, and Worthy followed with a goal about seven minutes later. A minute and a half after Worthy scored, Breland Mungia put one in the net in the 29th minute. Ella Ruff and Abigail Hickman added a pair of goals in the final 12 minutes of the first half, further extending the lead.
UMHB also has five straight shutouts, and is allowing an average of 0.18 goals per match (2 goals in 11 matches), which ranks amongst the Top 10 in the country. The Crusaders now look ahead to matches against Ozarks and UT-Dallas in Belton next week.
CRU Volleyball extends win streak to nine matches
On a day in which seniors Hannah Frasca, Sam Sommerfeld, and Maddie Gillespie were honored for their contributions to the UMHB Volleyball program, the Crusaders extended their win streak to nine straight matches. UMHB swept Sul Ross State on Saturday morning, earning all three set wins by nine points or more.
Frasca led the way with 15 kills as the only Crusader in double-digits in that stat category, and hit .556 in the sweep. As a team, UMHB posted a .370 hitting percentage, its highest mark in a single match in 2023.
UMHB is now 18-1 and nearing the 20-win mark for the third time since head coach Mark Pryor took over the program in April 2019. The Crusaders are also sitting in second in the ASC standings, with a 7-1 conference record.
UMHB men’s soccer battles Sul Ross State to 0-0 draw
UMHB men’s soccer completed its West Texas trip with a 1-0-1 record, taking down Howard Payne, 3-1, on Thursday, followed by a 0-0 tie at Sul Ross State on Saturday afternoon.
Though it was a stellar defensive battle by both sides, UMHB recorded 21 shots, with 11 on goal. SRSU, conversely, had just eight shots in the 90-minute duel. Hayden Owens posted a career-high four saves, as the freshman from Frisco now has 12 saves on the year.
UMHB returns to Belton with a 5-3-2 record, and a 3-0 mark in league play. Saturday’s match against SRSU did not count towards the standings, as the Lobos are in the process of transitioning to NCAA D-II. The Crusaders are the only ASC team with a perfect record in conference play.
UMHB Football defeats Texas Lutheran for second straight win
Read Riley Zayas’ recap of the victory from Seguin
Check out our comprehensive photo gallery from Russell Marwitz and Luke Zayas
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