The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Soccer to Host In-State Rival Ohio State Wednesday
September 27 | Men's Soccer
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AKRON, Ohio – The No. 4 University of Akron men's soccer team will play host to Ohio State Wednesday night at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field starting at 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Match #8: No. 4 Akron Zips (5-0-2) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-3-1)
Date/Time: Sept. 28, 2011 • 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Venue: FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field • Akron, Ohio
Radio: 130 AM (WARF) • Television: None
Video Stream: GoZips.com • Live Stats: GoZips.com
Note: Wednesday's game will be broadcast regionally on SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) ... The voice of the Zips Steve French (play-by-play) and former UA All-American Simon Spelling (color) will have the call ... A free, live video stream of all Akron home games as well as live stats will be available through GoZips.com.
Wednesday's Story lines
• The Zips, who are one of just eight Division I programs yet to sustain a loss this fall, will put their NCAA record, 42-match home unbeaten streak on the line Wednesday when in-state foe Ohio State comes to town for a 7:30 p.m. (ET) kick off.
• Akron, which will be facing Ohio State for the 34th time, has enjoyed a 24-6-3 (.772) all-time series record against the Buckeyes.
• UA, which has been defeated just once during the regular run of play in its last 57 matches dating back to the start of the 2009 season, is 10-0-1 (.955) against the Big Ten in the last two seasons under head coach Caleb Porter.
Ticket Information
As of Tuesday afternoon, limited tickets remain for Wednesday's match and are going fast. To avoid being turned away at the gates, fans are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. To purchase your ticket, click on 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).
Poll Position
• Akron will enter play ranked No. 4 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, which is the only poll recognized by the NCAA.
• The Zips are also ranked highly in the other four major polls, including a No. 4 designation by Top Drawer Soccer and Soccer Times, a No. 5 ranking by Soccer America and a No. 6 ranking by College Soccer News.
About Ohio State
• The Buckeyes (5-3-1) snapped a two-game losing streak last weekend with a 3-2, overtime victory in its conference opener against Michigan. Junior striker Chris Hegngi, who was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week Monday, scored the game-winning goal 32 seconds in to the first overtime period. He leads OSU with five goals in nine matches.
• Akron will represent the second nationally-ranked opponent OSU has faced in 2011. The Buckeyes endured a 1-0 setback to then-ranked No. 5 Louisville on Sept. 21 in Columbus.
• The Bucks, who are 1-2-1 in away and neutral site games, got off to a slow start with a 1-1 draw against American and a 1-0 loss to Siena, but rebounded with a four-game winning streak. During that run, they defeated Florida International (3-1), Stetson (4-2), Binghamton (2-1) and Hartwick (3-0).
• The Zips saw their NCAA-record tying 11-game, consecutive shutout streak snapped at Ohio State last season in a 2-2 draw. After rallying back from an early 1-0 deficit, UA held on to a 2-1 lead as the final seconds of regulation ticked away. But David Tiemstra found the back of the net with just three seconds left in the second half to force overtime.
Porter Vs. The Big Ten
• UA is 14-4-5 (.717) all-time versus teams from the Big Ten under sixth-year head coach Caleb Porter, who played and coached at Indiana prior to arriving on campus in 2006.
• During that time, the Zips have out-scored their competition, 42-18.
• Akron's record against the league has been even more impressive recently as the Zips are a combined 13-1-3 (.853) versus the Big Ten over the last three seasons, including a nearly-perfect mark of 10-0-1 (.955) since 2009.
• The Zips are 3-1-2 (.667) against Ohio State under Porter and 3-0-1 since 2008.
• The last Big Ten team to defeat UA was Northwestern, which edged the Zips 1-0 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament in 2008.
Zips Reset
• Sophomore striker Darren Mattocks, the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week, recorded the second hat trick of his career while leading the Zips to a 3-0 victory at Tulsa last Saturday. The native of Portmore, Jamaica, found the net once in the first half and twice after the break and has now scored seven goals in six matches this fall.
• UA also received strong play from its two central defenders, junior Chad Barson and freshman Bryan Gallego, who put out fires all night. That, combined with a season-high seven saves from Zips' keeper David Meves, ensured Akron's fifth shutout in seven matches.
• With the result, UA improved to 28-4-6 on the road since the start of the 2008 season.
Where We Rank
• Akron, which has held its opposition to one or fewer goals in every game this fall, is ranked fourth in the NCAA in team Goals-Against-Average (GAA) with a mark of 0.26 and is one of just four teams in the country (Creighton, Lehigh, UCONN) to have allowed fewer than three goals on the season.
Where We Rank
• Akron is also tied for seventh in shutout percentage (.710) and 15th in scoring offense (2.29 goals/game). It's winning percentage of .857 is 12th-highest in Division I.
• Junior midfielder Scott Caldwell leads the nation in assists with six helpers in seven matches (0.86/game) while Mattocks is fifth in the country in scoring with seven goals in six contests (1.17). Both are ranked in the top 15 for points per game with Mattocks (7 G, 1 A) ranking fifth (2.50/game) and Caldwell (4 G, 6 A) tied for 14th (2.00).
• Meves has allowed just two goals in 685 minutes between the pipes and is fourth in the country in GAA (0.263) and in save percentage (.900).
Did You Know?
• Akron has yet to allow a first-half goal this season, out-scoring its opponents 8-0 in the opening frame. In all, UA has out-scored its foes 16-2.
• Four Zips have recorded at least two goals this season. Mattocks leads the way with seven, followed by Caldwell, who has four. Senior Michael Balogun and freshman Akeil Barrett have each found the net twice.
• Along those lines, three different players have notched game-winning goals in 2011, paced by Caldwell and Mattocks, who each have two. Senior Matt Dagilis owns the other tally after heading home the game-winner at Saint Louis.
• UA has yet to allow more than one goal in a game this fall and has allowed more than one goal in a game just five times in its last 57 matches – or less than nine percent of the time – dating back to the start of the 2009 campaign.
