Photo by David Morris
BELTON — UMHB men’s soccer has displayed the strength of its scoring attack more than once in the 2025 campaign. But on Thursday night, The Cru took it to another level, finding the back of the net six times in a 6-0 shutout over Howard Payne.
The dominant victory marked the second time this season that Ben Allen’s team beat their ASC foes from Brownwood by a six-goal margin, and clinched UMHB’s spot in Saturday’s 7 p.m. championship match. It will be The Cru’s first appearance in the ASC Tournament final since 2022.
Key moment
UMHB came out with a distinct level of intensity, and that was evident from the first whistle. That translated into fireworks early, as The Cru cut through the HPU back line and into a shot just 92 seconds into the match. While that one didn’t go in, the next two did, both off the foot of senior Alex Bethke. Bethke scored on an assist from Jackson Whitley in the fourth minute, then went right back down the field and put a shot past HPU goalkeeper Adrian Villa again in the seventh minute. In the blink of an eye, UMHB held a multi-goal lead, and it turned out to be the only lead the Crusaders would need.
Impactful contributors
Bethke, a senior from Austin, raised his season total to six goals, a mark that now leads the team. His two early goals also gave the forward the first multi-goal performance of his four-year college career.
Peyton Hoyt and Grayson Bowler also got in on the scoring with their fifth goals of the season in the 53rd minute and 59th minute, respectively, as UMHB solidified its lead coming out of halftime.
Miguel Garza and Jose Gomez each scored their first goals of 2025 in the match’s later minutes, pushing The Cru’s advantage to 6-0.
Number to know
UMHB tallied 14 shots on goal, the second-most in a match this season, only behind The Cru’s first 6-0 win over HPU on Sept. 27. The Cru had 22 shots in total—11 in each half—and kept the offensive pressure for a full 90 minutes. UMHB also had five assists, tying with the Sept. 27 win and the Oct. 26 win over ETBU for the most in a single game high this season.
What’s next?
The Cru moves ahead to Saturday’s tournament final with a spot in the NCAA Tournament going to the winner. Like the women’s championship, it will feature UMHB and Hardin-Simmons, as the Cowboys, coached by former UMHB head coach Brad Bankhead, got past ETBU, 2-0, on Thursday.
It will be the third meeting of the season between The Cru and Cowboys, with UMHB having won in Belton, 1-0, before playing to a 2-2 draw in Abilene.
