RICHARDSON, TX (11.06.16) - Senior Connor Crabtree scored his first two goals of the season as the UT Dallas men's soccer team picked up its second straight American Southwest Conference championship with a 2-0 victory over Hardin-Simmons, played in a continuous rainstorm at the UTD Soccer Field Sunday afternoon.

The Comets (now 13-4-2) picked up their fourth ASC title in program history and claimed the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III National Championship, starting next weekend. UTD will learn its first-round location and opponent at 12 p.m. Monday, via announcement on www.ncaa.com.

After a scoreless opening half, Crabtree (see POST-GAME INTERVIEW) netted the game-winner in the 53rd minute with a header off of the hands of HSU keeper Michael Vargas. Kevin Whatley centered the ball from deep in the right corner, allowing Crabtree to get enough of his head on the ball to find the back of the net. With the rain continuing throughout halftime and the second period, Crabtree then added an insurance goal in the 84th minute with another header, this time off a free kick from Danny Meyer.

The top-seeded Comets finished the afternoon with 12 shots, three on goal, while second-seeded HSU (now 9-4-3) took 14 shots, four on goal. Crabtree led UTD with four shots, two on goal, while Isaac Urcuyo took two shots. Comet keeper Joseph Weber made four saves in his fifth shutout of the season.

Crabtree, a midfielder from Katy, was named the ASC Championship Most Valuable Player, leading four Comets on the All-Tournament Team. Weber along with defenders Sam Konstanty and Kasden Williams were all tabbed All-Tournament after UTD posted a pair of shutouts at the event.

In the opening half, both teams had just one real scoring threat with each team earning only one shot on goal before the break. HSU's Jio Gonzalez logged the first shot on goal in the game with just over 11 minutes in the half while Comet Andrew Jenson's header was saved with just under two minutes left.