BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's soccer team grabbed a lead less than two minutes into a Saturday night contest with Howard Payne University and did not let up, cruising to a 6-0 lead over the Yellow Jackets.  The win improved the Cru to 7-1-2 on the season and opened them at 1-0 in American Southwest Conference action.
 
Karsen Macias opened the game for the Cru with a goal in the second minute, scoring off an assist from Martin Valdes. UMHB held that lead until the 44^th minute when Billy Yonce scored off an assist from Arnold Perez-Valenzuela, Jr., bookending goals in the first half for a 2-0 Cru lead.
 
UMHB totaled 15 shots in the first half and did not allow the Yellow Jackets one. The Cru put seven of those shots on frame, led by Aiden Aguilera with two.
 
Alex Bethke added another goal for the Cru in the 53^rd minute, scoring on a penalty kick for a 3-0 Crusader lead. Evan Ruiz added another goal less than six minutes later, putting UMHB up by four. Isaiah Pullen tacked on another goal in the 75^th minute, hitting a shot high-center off a pass from Perez-Valenzuela. Caple Esquivel added to the scoring six minutes later, scoring off an Alex Gonzales assist for a six-goal margin.  
 
Aguilera and Bethke led the Cru with four shots each while Valdes, Logan Allard and Esquivel each added three. UMHB totaled 32 shots in the contest, putting 19 on goal. The Cru defense limited the Yellow Jackets to just two total shots and one on frame Hughston Taggart making the save.
 
The Cru returns to action on Saturday, October 4^th in a 7:30 p.m. contest at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall.