football moves into top 5

Hayden Earns CC Honor Junior Samuel Hayden of the Muhlenberg men’s soccer team was named defensive player of the week by the Centennial Conference. Hayden led a back four that allowed Franklin & Marshall only five shots, and only one on goal, in the Mules’ 2-0 shutout of the Diplomats. It was Muhlenberg’s first regular-season whitewashing of F&M since 1997. Hayden also contributed to the offense, assisting on the first goal with a long free kick from near midfield into the penalty box.

JJ Contessa’s 1-yard touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone gave the Mules an early 14-0 lead at Union.

The Muhlenberg football team inched up another place in the D3football.com national poll.

A 31-14 win at Union, combined with a loss by then-No. 4 St. John’s, allowed the Mules to move from No. 6 to No. 5.

Football is only the fourth sport in College history to be ranked in the top five in Division III. The others were men’s soccer (several times, most recently in 1996), softball (1991) and field hockey (1990).

Muhlenberg has won 13 consecutive regular-season games and, with a Homecoming win against Gettysburg on Saturday, will tie Dickinson (1987-88) for the second-longest streak in Centennial Conference history. McDaniel holds the CC record with 30 straight from 1997 to 1999.

Click here for the complete poll.