Offense Erupts In 4-0 Win Over UNC Greensboro

October 25 | Men's Soccer

AKRON, Ohio -

Junior midfielder Steve Kalan (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) put Akron on the board just over a minute into the match and the Zips never looked back in a dominating 4-0 victory over UNC Greensboro on a cold Tuesday night at Lee Jackson Field.

Akron improves to 11-4-1, while UNC Greensboro drops to 11-7-1. It is the second straight match that Akron has tallied four goals in the first half.

"This was one of the more dominating performances I have been a part of, against a very good UNC Greensboro team," said head coach Caleb Porter. "We were firing on all cylinders, not only scoring goals but also defending well."

Kalan gave Akron all the scoring it needed just 1:19 in the game when he send his shot into the upper 90 off defender Jonathan McClain's (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne/Wright State) corner kick. It was Kalan's third goal of the season and his second in as many games.

Hardly finished, it was 2-0 Akron in the ninth minute when Kalan struck again, this time taking service from Pablo Moreira (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville) and connecting on a running shot to the far post. Kalan accounted for three of Akron's 11 shots on the night.

With the Akron defense holding the Spartans in check, that opened things up in the Zips' attack as Kalan worked his way through a group of UNC Greensboro defenders before beating UNCG goalkeeper Nate Berry for his third goal of the night at 39:21. Kalan becomes the first Akron player this season to score more than one goal in a match.

Freshman Ben Zemanski (Akron, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) put the ball in the net for the second-consecutive game, angling his header into the bottom right corner of the goal. Senior midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor/UIC) picked up the assist on the play. It was Ubiparipovic's first time back on the pitch since suffering an injury vs. Northern Illinois on Oct. 14.

"I've been saying since the beginning of the year that if we keep getting chances, the goals will come," Porter said. "We are really starting to click and it couldn't come at a better time."

The Zips finished with an 11-6 shot advantage, with six of their attempts on frame. Akron goalkeeper Evan Bush (Concord, Ohio/Lake Catholic) turned back three UNCG shots for his ninth shutout of the season. Bush moves into a tie for fourth on Akron's all-time shutout list with 23.

Akron's defensive group of Ossie Michalsen (Bergen, Norway/Soccer Academy of Danielsen), Devin McKenney (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted/Dayton), Matt Augustin (Silver Lake, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit), McClain and sub Andrew Tipton (Uniontown, Ohio/Lake) was again superb, limiting Hermann Trophy candidates Randi Patterson and Scott Jones to a combined one shot.

The Zips close out the regular season on Friday at home against Buffalo. Akron can clinch a share of the Mid-American Conference regular season title with a victory over the Bulls. Match time is 7:30 p.m., and seniors Ashley Kozicki (Kresgeville, Pa./Pleasant Valley/St. John's), McClain and Ubiparipovic will be honored prior to the match.