The University of Akron Athletics
Nets Come Down for Men's Soccer Season Ticket Holder Event
August 18 | Men's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – More than 500 men's soccer season ticket holders packed the club level at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field for an exclusive meet and greet event with the 2011 Zips Thursday night.
Eager for the start of the season, which officially kicks off at home against Cleveland State on Saturday, Aug. 27, fans mingled with the new players, got their pictures taken with the NCAA national championship trophy and – in a truly unique opportunity – got to cut and keep their own portion of the net taken from the national championship game in Santa Barbara, Calif., last December.
After a welcome and introduction from UA Director of Athletics Tom Wistrcill, Zips head coach Caleb Porter and team captains Chad Barson and Scott Caldwell addressed the crowd. Porter discussed the process of reinfusing UA's roster following the loss of seven starters to Major League Soccer and previewed the upcoming campaign while Barson and Caldwell collectively thanked the large gathering and expressed the team's hunger for a repeat season in 2011.
Joining the group of enthused season ticket holders were a number of University administrators and dignitaries, including Ohio Senator Tom Sawyer. Take a look at some of the sights from the event by clicking here.
After some light refreshments, the festivities then spilled over to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field for a spirited, informal intrasquad scrimmage that pitted the first team against the reserves for the first half.
The first team took a 3-1 lead into the break as Darren Mattocks, Aodhan Quinn and Caldwell each found the net. Sophomore midfielder Eric Stevenson scored the lone goal for the reserves. The team lines in the second half were much more gray with players changing sides frequently.
Mattocks, a Freshman All-American in 2010, continued to display the skills that led to him scoring 18 goals last fall, which was the third-highest total in the country, with three goals and an assist Thursday. Quinn, another Freshman All-American from Bradley, chipped in with a pair of goal-scoring strikes of his own.
Despite being just eight days into preseason training, Zips – on both sides of the ball – showed flashes of that familiar Akron brand of soccer that has led to unprecedented success the past few years.
With eight days of training in the books, the Zips are gearing up for their home opener against the Vikings a week from Saturday, which will have historic implications. With a positive result, Akron will set the NCAA's record for longest consecutive home unbeaten streak, which currently stands at 39 games, while also avenging a 2-1 defeat at CSU last fall. UA won the school's first team national championship in any sport last December.
To find out how you can become an Akron soccer season ticket holder, visit GoZips.com/tickets, call 1-888-99-AKRON (25766) or visit the C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field (located at the southwest corner of the venue, near Gate 1, at the corner of East Exchange and South Union streets).
The C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
