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Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's soccer team has received a bid to the NCAA Division III National Championship for the first time in the program's history and the Cru will also get a chance to play its first postseason game on its home field. The UMHB men will host American Southwest Conference rival Hardin-Simmons University for a 1:00 PM start in a first-round game on Thursday, November 12
th, at the Cru SportsPlex. The winner of the UMHB-HSU match will then advance to the second round to take on Trinity University in San Antonio on Sunday, November 15
th. The Cru received one of 17 Pool C, or at-large bids to the NCAA Championships after closing out the best season in the history of the UMHB men's soccer program. UMHB is also the first ASC program to receive an at-large berth to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.
           The Cru went 14-3-1 in the regular season this year and won the ASC regular season championship. UMHB also posted the first ASC Tournament win in the history of the program and played Hardin-Simmons to a 0-0 double overtime tie before the Cowboys advanced on penalty kicks 4-2 to win the ASC Championship yesterday in Belton. The Cru also posted a 1-0 regular season win over the Cowboys a couple of weeks ago, so Hardin-Simmons will be making its third trip to the Cru Sports Plex in less than a month.
           Hardin-Simmons finished the regular season with a 10-2-6 overall record and won the ASC Championship with that penalty kick decision against UMHB. The Cowboys have won seven ASC titles and are playing in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the sixth time in that program's history.
           "We are very grateful to be selected for the NCAA Tournament and for the opportunity to play that first game at home," Cru head coach
Brad Bankhead said. "It has been kind of a roller coaster for us the past two days, first after losing the conference championship the way we did, and then getting into the tournament and getting a chance to play HSU at home again. We are excited about the chance ahead of us."
           Tickets for Thursday's match will only be available at the gate. Ticket prices are $6 for adult general admission tickets and $3 for students and seniors.
