The University of Akron Athletics
Women?s Soccer Readies For Weekend Homestand
October 02 | Women's Soccer
– This weekend the University of Akron women's soccer team
will do something it has done very little of thus far this season
– play a match at home. Competing in its first game at Lee
Jackson Field since Sept. 12 (a 2-1 win over Eastern Kentucky), the
Zips continue Mid-American Conference play by hosting Toledo on
Friday at 7:30 p.m. EDT and Bowling Green on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Last weekend, UA split a pair of road matches, logging a 2-1 win at
Buffalo on Friday and a 4-1 loss versus cross-town rival Kent State
on Sunday. Those meetings closed out a stretch of five-straight
away games for the squad. The Zips, who play only seven matches at
home this season, look to defend a 3-0 mark on their home turf in
2008. Included in that win streak is a 6-2 victory over Pittsburgh
on Aug. 22 in the season opener.
Akron (6-3-0, 1-1-0 MAC) is led offensively by junior forward Britni
Back's team-high 15 points (six goals and three assists), which
ranks second in the MAC. Her 1.67 points-per-game average is listed
49th nationally. Back is responsible for scoring three of Akron's
last five goals, and her 0.67 goals per game ranks among the top 50
in the country.
In goal, Jenn Wolbert paces the Zips and the MAC in saves
per match (6.22), while ranking second in total stops (56) among
her conference peers. That saves per match number ranks as the 37th
best in the nation.
Toledo (6-3-0, 1-1-0), the two-time defending conference tournament
champion, has won all seven matchups in the all-time series against
the Zips, including a 1-0 victory last season at Scott Park. The
Rockets rely on juniors Molly Cornwell and Ali Leak for the
majority of their offensive firepower and the duo is tied for the
team lead in points, with eight apiece (three goals and two assists
each).
Akron has scored 13 of its 18 goals this season in the second half,
and its 2.0 goals per game average ties Toledo as the second best
in the MAC, and is the 54th highest nationally.
Bowling Green (6-3-2, 1-1-0) is 6-1-0 all-time versus Akron, with
the Zips' lone win in the series coming in BGSU's last trip to Lee
Jackson Field – a 2-1 decision in 2006. The Falcons compete at
Ohio on Friday before facing UA. BGSU enters the weekend as the MAC
leader in scoring (2.18 goals per game) and shutouts (seven).
After Sunday, the Zips will spend the next two weekends on the
road. The team plays at Western Michigan on Oct. 10 and Northern
Illinois on Oct. 12, and then visits Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 17 and
Ball State on Oct. 19. UA concludes its home schedule against
Eastern Michigan (Oct. 24) and Central Michigan (Oct. 26). The
match with CMU will serve as Senior Day.
