The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Advances to MAC Final; Beats NIU 2-1 (2OT)
November 17 | Men's Soccer
The top-seeded University of Akron men's soccer team used goals
by freshmen Michael Nanchoff and Steve
Zakuani to complete a 2-1 come-from-behind, double overtime
victory over fifth-seed Northern Illinois Friday night in the
semifinals of the 2007 Mid-American Conference Tournament.
"We beat a very tough NIU team tonight," said UA head coach Caleb
Porter. "It was a battle until the end. I give their players,
especially their seniors who played their last game tonight, an
awful lot of credit for the effort they displayed. In the end, I
knew if we kept getting chances, eventually the goal would come.
That was a special goal from Steve (Zakuani) and that is usually
the difference in a game like these tonight."
Akron controlled the action most of the first half. However, the
Akron defense did not clear the ball out of its zone very well,
which left Northern Illinois' Chris Rufa with a clear shot on goal.
His ball beat Akron keeper Evan
Bush, but hit the left post. Drew Jeskey was there to punch
home the rebound in the 37th minute, marking his second goal of the
season.
Akron was undaunted and kept putting itself in position to score.
Then, after a foul on the Huskies in the 43rd minute, Nanchoff
(North Royalton, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) took the free kick and hit a
rocket past the NIU wall and by Huskies' keeper Joe Zimka for
Nanchoff's first goal as a Zip.
Overall in the first half, Akron took nine shots to NIU's three,
while getting six corner kick opportunities to the Huskies
none.
The Zips continued to apply pressure in the second half, holding a
7-4 shot advantage and a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks. However,
the Huskies had a chance to put away the potential game winner in
the 75th minute. Off their lone corner kick of the half, Akron once
again had trouble clearing the ball. NIU had several chances with
the ball just feet from the Akron goal. Fraser Gibson had two point
blank tries, which were blocked, and Steve Algozino had one.
Akron had the only shot between the teams in the first overtime and
fired three to NIU's none in the second. The third UA shot came off
the foot of Zakuani, who was named the 2007 MAC Newcomer of the
Year prior to the match. The London, England, native took the ball,
made a couple of moves at the top left corner of the box and ripped
a shot, beating a diving Zimka just inside the right post for his
team-best sixth goal of the season.
The win was big for the Zips. Even thought NIU came in as the fifth
seed, it was the only MAC team not to lose to the Zips this season,
tying 0-0, and was the team that beat Akron in last year's MAC
Tournament final.
With the win, Akron will face second-seed Buffalo in the
championship match Sunday. The title game is set for 2 pm at
Akron's Lee Jackson Field. Bulls scored with under three minutes
left to hand Hartwick a 1-0 loss. UB's Dan Stevens fired a shot
from 25 yards out at the top of the box. The shot deflected off a
Hawk defender and slipped just inside the right post for the game
winner.
