The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Soccer Heads North To Take On Michigan Wednesday Night
October 29 | Men's Soccer
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AKRON, Ohio – The No. 17 University of Akron men's soccer team will jump back on the road for a mid-week match at Michigan Wednesday. The Zips and Wolverines are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET at U-M Soccer Stadium.
Match #16: No. 17 Akron Zips (11-3-1) at Michigan Wolverines (7-4-3)
Date/Time: Oct. 30, 2013 • 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: U-M Soccer Stadium • Ann Arbor, Mich.
Match Notes: Akron at Michigan (PDF)
Televison: None • Radio: None
Live Stats: MGoBlue.com • Video Stream: MGoBlueTV (subscription required)
Tracking The Zips
• U-M Athletics will provide live stats and a video stream for Wednesday's match. The video stream requires a paid subscription.
• Follow @ZipsMSoc on Twitter for updates throughout the match as well as for insider access throughout the season.
Zips Reset
• Akron winger Robbie Derschang made his Senior Night even more memorable with an assist and the game-winner in a 2-1 result against Northern Illinois last weekend at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
• Derschang assisted Adam Najem's goal in the 12th minute, then broke a 1-all tie in the 76th minute with his first goal of the season. It was also the second game-winning goal in an Akron uniform for Derschang, who transferred from SMU in 2012. Derschang had missed the previous two matches with a hamstring injury.
• For the match, UA out-shot NIU by a count of 18-4 overall and 5-1 on frame. The Zips also earned 11 corner kicks to the Huskies' two.
• While Derschang returned to the lineup, Zips leading goal scorer Reinaldo Brenes missed his third straight match with a leg injury. Starters Aodhan Quinn and Eric Stevenson were limited as well, each playing just 45 minutes against NIU.
About Akron
• After going 1-0-1 last week, Akron is unbeaten in its last five matches (4-0-1) and has been defeated just once (8-1-1) since Sept. 15.
• The Zips have displayed a flair for dramatics this season with five game-winning goals coming after the 75th minute of play, including Derschang's strike against the Huskies last Saturday night.
• UA enters the week ranked No. 32 in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) while Michigan comes in at No. 42. The Zips will have an opportunity to make up some ground next week when they play host to Penn State, which is ranked No. 9 in the latest NSCAA national coaches' poll. The Nittany Lions are currently ranked No. 5 in the RPI.
• UA's possession-style attack has provided opposing teams very few scoring chances this season. As a unit, the Zips are ranked seventh in the nation with a goals-against-average (GAA) of 0.57 and tied for 11th with a shutout percentage of 0.53. Dating back to its 2-1 win at Cleveland State on Oct. 9, UA has allowed just one goal in its last 400:01 minutes of play.
• Only six NCAA Division I teams have recorded more clean sheets to date than Akron, which has logged eight. Army and Georgetown lead the nation with 11 shutouts apiece while Northwestern, Furman, Missouri State and Hartford have each notched nine.
• All but two of UA's 14 matches that haven't ended in a tie have been decided by one goal. Moreover, seven of those contests have been 1-0 results. In total, the Zips are 10-2 in one-goal games this fall.
• Adam Najem, a true freshman midfielder, is tied with Reinaldo Brenes for the team's lead in goals scored with four. Moreover, all four of Najem's goals have come in his last five matches. During that hot stretch, the New Jersey native has recorded a pair of game-winning goals at Cleveland St. (Oct. 9) and Buffalo (Oct. 18).
• Seven different Zips have scored at least one goal and six different players have recorded at least one game winner in 2013.
• The Zips are out-scoring opponents 7-2 in the first half and are 5-0-0 when leading at the break. Akron is also 10-1-0 this season when scoring first.
About Michigan
• The Wolverines have won three straight matches, including a 2-1 win at home against defending NCAA champion Indiana and a 1-0 victory over then-ranked No. 12 Creighton. Wednesday night's match will represent the fourth-straight game at home for U-M where it is 5-2-1.
• U-M's win over Creighton was the program's first against a ranked opponent this season. The Wolverines suffered a 3-0 defeat at No. 1 Notre Dame on Sept. 17.
• Michigan is 3-0-1 against shared Akron opponents to date this season. The Wolverines picked up wins versus West Virginia (2-1, OT), Western Michigan (3-1) and Ohio State (1-0) and drew Bowling Green (1-1).
• U-M, which is averaging 1.36 goals per match, is led by a pair of four-goal scorers in James Murphy and TJ VanSlooten. Adam Grinwis has started all 14 matches for the Maize and Blue, posting a GAA of 1.20 and three clean sheets.
Michigan Series Notes
• Wednesday's game will represent the 14th meeting between the Zips and Wolverines. Akron leads the all-time series with a record of 9-4-0 (.692) dating back to the 2003 season.
• Akron went 2-0 against Michigan last fall with both games played at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field. The Zips picked up a 1-0 result during the regular season when Aodhan Quinn found the back of the net in the 14th minute, then ended the Wolverines' postseason run in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by way of a 2-1 victory. Eric Stevenson gave UA a 1-0 lead right before halftime and Thomas Schmitt added what would prove to be the game-winner in the 59th minute.
• Wednesday's game us also a rematch of the 2010 NCAA semifinal game in Santa Barbara, Calif. After falling behind early, the Zips responded with a pair of goals to knock off the Wolverines 2-1 and advance to the national championship match against Louisville.
• Akron will be looking to avenge a 1-0 overtime loss to Michigan the last time the two teams played in Ann Arbor in 2011.
Akron Versus The Big Ten
• The Zips are 1-0-1 against the Big Ten this season. UA picked up a 1-0 win at home against Ohio State on Sept. 24 and played then-ranked No. 17 Michigan State to a scoreless draw at home last week.
• In all, Akron is 23-4-5 (.796) versus teams from the Big Ten since 2007. During that time, the Zips have out-scored their competition, 58-20.
Zips In Control Of MAC Race
• With less than two weeks of the regular season remaining, Akron stands all alone in first place of the MAC standings with a 4-1-0 record.
• Western Michigan, which has only played three league games to date, is currently in second place with a 2-0-1 record. Bowling Green follows in third with a mark of 2-1-1.
• The Zips own the tie-breaker with the Falcons after defeating them 1-0 in September and will play the Broncos in Kalamazoo, Mich., on Nov. 9. Western Michigan and BGSU play in Kalamazoo, Mich., this Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
• Regardless of what else happens, UA can claim its ninth-consecutive MAC regular-season championship with a win at WMU in the regular-season finale.
• The winner of the MAC regular-season championship earns the right to host the MAC Tournament and is awarded the top seed. The semifinals and final of the MAC Tournament will be played on Nov. 15 and No. 17, respectively. The winner of the MAC Tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.
Up Next
Akron will have a week to prepare for their next opponent No. 9 Penn State, which comes to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field for the final home game of the regular season on Wed., Nov. 6. The Zips and Nittany Lions will kick off at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets
Tickets to Zips men's soccer matches can be purchased online anytime at ZipsTickets.com, or from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Mondays through Fridays by either calling 1-888-99-AKRON (25766) or visiting The C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office at InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field (located at 375 E. Exchange Street, near Gate 1 at the southwest corner of the venue, at the corner of E. Exchange and S. Union streets).
