Nov. 1, 2006

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' men's soccer team will have to try and do something no American Southwest Conference team has done and win three games in three days if they are to defend its ASC title this weekend in Kerrville.

The third-seeded Cowboys (11-5-1) will open play on Friday against former Cowboy Brad Bankhead's Mary Hardin-Baylor team. The two teams played last Saturday to a 2-2 to conclude the regular season. UMHB is 10-8-1 on the year and the No. 6 seed in the tournament. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. and the winner will play second-seeded Ozarks at 2 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals.

In the other first round game Mississippi College will play Texas-Dallas at 11 a.m. The winner will play the top seed and host team Schreiner at 11 a.m. The finals are slated for 1 p.m. Sunday.

If the Cowboys are going to win the tournament they are going to have to get good play from its veterans. Senior David Salas leads the team with nine goals and eight assists and senior Nick Sager has eight goals. Both were all-tournament selections last season with Salas being the MVP.

The back line will have to continue to be strong in front of ever-improving freshman goalkeeper Austin White. The freshman from College Station is 10-4-1 in goal this season with five shutouts.

Senior Ricky Matthies leads a solid defensive group. The Cowboys will play as many as seven freshmen in the tournament and five could start. HSU won the tournament a year ago with a 2-0 win over Ozarks at the HSU Soccer Complex.

The winner of the tournament will earn the right to play in the NCAA Tournament beginning next week.