BELTON, TEXAS (11.02.17) - In a rematch of last season's American Southwest Conference championship game, the UT Dallas men's soccer team took control of a quarterfinal match with Hardin-Simmons Thursday night, scoring a pair of goals early in the second half to move past the Cowboys, 2-1, in the ASC Championship Tournament at Mary Hardin-Baylor's home field.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH JASON HIRSCH & DEFENDER MASON ANDERSON

UTD (11-5-2) scored the first goal of the game just :30 into the second half when Kasden Williams punched in a loose ball in front of the net. Williams then followed that up with an assist on a Daaron McFarling goal just four minutes later to give the Comets a lead they would not surrender.

Williams scored the first goal unassisted after a scrum in front of the HSU goal off a cross from Gage Ott for his second tally of the season. McFarling scored his team-high sixth goal of the season when he punched in a ball off an HSU defender that Williams redirected toward him. It was Williams' first assist of the season.

The Cowboys cut UTD's lead in half on a long-range Ben Matthews' goal in the 71st minute, but did not score again.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The Comets shut out the defensive-minded Cowboys in the first half, building a 4-0 shot advantage. HSU put together four shots - three on goal and all in the second half while UTD ended with 11 shots, three on goal. The Cowboys were whistled for 10 fouls and two yellow cards.

KEY PERFORMERS:
UTD goalkeeper John Nicknish only had to make two saves on the evening, allowing just one goal against. Jordan Henderson was the only UTD player with multiple shots.

UP NEXT: 
With the win, the third-seeded Comets advance to the ASC Championship Tournament semifinals, where they will meet second-seeded UT Tyler Saturday morning at 11 am on host Mary Hardin-Baylor's field in Belton. The Comets fell to the Patriots, 2-0, earlier this season. The University of the Ozarks, a 1-0 winner over Concordia, will play the second semifinal match at 2 pm against UMHB. The ASC Championship match is set for 1 p.m. Saturday in Belton.