The University of Akron Athletics
Zips set to host Bowling Green in MAC Championship title game
November 15 | Men's Soccer
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GAMENOTES IN PDF
Match #20: Bowling Green (14-5-1) at Akron (12-6-1)
Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014 • 1 p.m. ET
FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field (5,000) • Akron, Ohio
WARF Radio | Webstream | Live Stats
THIS WEEK
Top-seeded Akron continues its quest for its 11th Mid-American Conference Championship title, battling third-seeded Bowling Green on Sunday, Nov. 16, in the championship match of the MAC Championship. Game time at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field is set for 1 p.m.
Under the guidance of second-year head coach Jared Embick, the Zips stand 12-6-1 overall after a 2-1 triumph over Western Michigan on Friday, Nov. 14, in the semifinals of the MAC Championship.
After 18 matches, sophomore midfielder Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) is the Zips' leading scorer with 12 goals, four assists, and 28 points. Freshman forward Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand) follows with four goals, four assists, and 12 points. In goal, junior Jake Fenlason (San Diego, Calif.) has started all 18 games and has a 0.77 goals-against average. He has seven shutouts, 69 saves in nearly 1,770 minutes of action.
The Bowling Green Falcons, under the tutelage of sixth-year head coach Eric Nichols, stand 14-5-1 overall after registering a 3-2 victory past West Virginia in the semifinals of the MAC Championship on Friday, Nov. 14.
After 20 matches, sophomore forward Pat Flynn is the team leader with 14 goals, four assists, and 32 points. Sophomore midfielder Jacob Roth, redshirt sophomore midfielder Max Auden and sophomore midfielder Joe Sullivan follow with 16 (4G, 8 A), 15 (6G, 3A) and 15 (5G, 5A) points, respectively. In goal, redshirt sophomore Nick Landsberger has 40 saves and a 1.12 GAA in 14 games.
AKRON-BOWLING GREEN: THE SERIES
Sunday afternoon's game is the 56th meeting between Akron and Bowling Green in series history. The Zips lead, 44-8-3, and have won the last 16 outings.
Earlier this season, Akron registered a 1-0 road triumph past the Falcons on Oct. 11, 2014. The Falcons' last win in the series came 12 years ago, a 1-0 victory at Cochrane Field in Bowling Green, Ohio (Oct. 27, 2002).
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Akron maintains an 26-8-5 mark in 39 matches in MAC Championship history, including 3-0 under head coach Jared Embick. The Zips are 9-4-1 all-time in the championship game of the MAC Tournament.
AKRON-BOWLING GREEN MAC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The Zips have met Bowling Green eight times in MAC Championship play with Akron owning a 5-3 mark in those encounters, including 2-1 at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field. The Zips have won the last five tournament contests between the two schools, including a 2-0 triumph in the semifinals of the 2012 MAC Championship on Nov. 9, 2012, at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.
LAST GAME: AKRON VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN
Akron made the most of a pair of second-half penalty kicks as the top-seeded Zips notched a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph past fourth-seeded Western Michigan in the second semifinal of the Mid-American Conference Championship on Friday, Nov. 14, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
Western Michigan registered the first three shots in the affair.
Sean Connerty struck a free kick for the Broncos at the 23:27 mark that nearly snuck under the crossbar, if not for a strong save by junior goalkeeper Jake Fenlason (San Diego, Calif.).
Redshirt freshman forward Sam Gainford (Whitehaven, England) struck Akron's first shot of the evening in the 27th minute (26:18), a strike that was blocked in the box.
Gainford evened the shot total at three apiece for the Zips with Akron's first shot on goal in the 34th minute (33:33), one that was corralled by Western Michigan goalkeeper Drew Shepherd for a save.
The two sides entered the intermission with each side recording three shots, including one apiece on frame.
The Broncos broke the stalemate when junior defender Cam Jensen garnered his second goal of the season for the game's initial tally at the 54:48 mark.
Opportunity emerged for the Zips when Western Michigan was whistled for a foul at the 70:50 mark after Gainford was tripped in the box resulting in an Akron penalty kick.
Sophomore midfielder Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) calmly stepped to the line and drove home his team-leading 12th goal of the season past Shepherd to square the contest at one.
The Broncos were again called for a foul in the box in the 75th minute (74:34) when junior forward Sean Sepe (West Islip, N.Y.) was tripped.
Senior midfielder Clint Caso (Kinnelon, N.J.) took to the top of the box and centered the ball on the penalty kick and delivered it into the corner of the net for his second career goal.
Western Michigan had a scoring chance of its own in the 84th minute (83:28) when junior midfielder Nick Wysong took a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box that was blocked.
The Zips played the final five minutes of regulation with a man-advantage when Carlos Suarez for the Broncos was called for a red card.
Akron was able to run out the clock without the Broncos netting the equalizer as the Zips advanced to the title game of the MAC Championship for the third-consecutive year.
On the strength of a 7-2 second-half shot advantage, including 2-1 on net, the Zips finished the affair besting the Broncos in shots, 10-5.
Gainford and Najem led all players with a pair of three-shot performances for Akron. Fenlason notched one save for the Zips.
ZIPS GARNER CONFERENCE-BEST SEVEN ALL-MAC SELECTIONS
Led by sophomore midfielder Adam Najem, senior forward Saad Abdul-Salaam (Gahanna, Ohio), junior goalkeeper Jake Fenlason and junior defender Andrew Souders (Amherst, Ohio) who were selected as first-team All-Mid-American Conference men's soccer selections, seven Akron student-athletes garnered All-MAC accolades as announced by the league on Thursday (Nov. 13).
Freshman forward Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand), freshman midfielder Richie Laryea (Toronto, Ontario) along with sophomore midfielder Victor Souto (Sao Paulo, Brazil) were tabbed second-team selections.
NAJEM CAPTURES TOP DRAWER SOCCER COLLEGE GOAL OF THE WEEK
Sophomore Adam Najem captured 69 percent of the votes to easily outdistance Washington's Mason Robertson for Top Drawer Soccer's College Goal of the Week. Najem registered a 2,171-876 advantage in online fan voting.
AKRON HONORS THREE SENIORS
The Zips honored seniors Clint Caso, Saad Abdul-Salaam and manager Foday Kromah prior to Akron's game versus Buffalo on Saturday, Nov. 8. Caso has appeared in 26 games at Akron, including six starts and owns two goals on nine career shots. Abdul-Salaam has started 42 of the 52 games he has played in as a Zip recording three goals and 11 assists on 49 career shots.
PAIR OF ZIPS GARNER NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Akron freshmen Richie Laryea and Bryce Cregan (Dallastown, Pa.) were recently recognized by TopDrawerSoccer.com as part of its national rankings of the top 100 freshmen in the country at the midpoint of the 2014 campaign. Laryea was tabbed at No. 26, while Cregan checked in at No. 72 in the rankings.
SMART COOKIES
Four Akron Zips were nominated for the 2014 CoSIDA Academic All-America Team. To be eligible, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.30 or better and be a starter or significant reserve. Representing the Zips are goalkeeper Jake Fenlason, midfielder Adam Najem, defender Brad Ruhaak (Akron, Ohio), and defender Andrew Sounders.
THE ROAD TO MAC CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINS
Defending MAC champion Akron opened 2014 conference play at Bowling Green. Since 1998, the Zips have won 10 conference crowns [1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013], as well as 17 regular-season MAC titles. UA has made 28 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the College Cup three times [1986, 2009, 2010], and the national championship game twice [2009, 2010]. Akron won the 2010 national championship.
IN THE POLLS
After being ranked at No. 19 by NCAA.com, No. 22 by Top Drawer Soccer, and No. 29 by College Soccer News (Oct. 21), Akron checks in at 27th in both the Top Drawer Soccer national poll and in the latest NCAA RPI index. The Zips are just outside the College Soccer News Top-30 poll.
SERNA CALLED TO U-23 NATIONAL TEAM
Former Akron men's soccer standout Dillon Serna was recently called up to the U-23 U.S. National Team camp in Brazil. The midfielder, who played one season with the Zips, is listed as a defender on the team's official 21-member roster.
At UA, Serna was named the 2012 Mid-American Conference Newcomer of the Year. He has played the last two seasons with the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.
The Brighton, Colo., native is no stranger to international competition. In 2011, Serna was a member of the U-17 national team and from 2012-13, he was a member of the U-20 national team. Serna played in several matches with the U-20 team, but he was not part of the final squad that competed in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
MLS TOP 24 UNDER 24
The annual MLSsoccer.com's "24 Under 24" list has a number of familiar names on it, including the No. 1 selection defender DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders) who played two seasons for the Zips (2011-12).
At No. 9 is midfielder Will Trapp (Columbus Crew). At Akron Trapp was a two-time first-team All-MAC selection in 2011 and 2012 and a third-team NSCAA All-American in 2012.
At No. 18 in Perry Kitchen (DC United). As a freshman in 2010, Kitchen started 25 games, scoring six goals and adding one assist. He earned first-team All-MAC honors and helped UA to the 2010 National Championship. He scored an unassisted goal on an emphatic right-footed blast from 30 yards out during Akron's 2-1 win over Michigan in the national semifinal of the College Cup.
Akron has more players on the list than any other college.
ZIPS QUICK HITS
• The Zips have eight players in either their first or second year with the program who have made at least 10 starts this season. Sophomore Adam Najem, freshman Richie Laryea and sophomore Victor Souto have started every game they have appeared in for Akron this season.
• Three of the Zips' top-five scorers are freshmen or sophomores with the trio of Adam Najem, Stuart Holthusen and Sam Gainford having combined to register 48 of Akron's 93 points this season (51.6 percent). The group has also posted 19 of the Zips' 34 goals this fall (55.8 percent).
• Following not having scored a goal in his collegiate career enter Akron's showdown with Buffalo on Nov. 8, senior Clint Caso has collected scores in each of the Zips' last two contests, both victories.
• Akron has garnered scoring contributions from 16 players this season, including eight freshmen.
• After a disappointing 0-2-1 road trip to start the season, Akron posted four consecutive victories by an overall scoring margin of 10-2, including two shutouts.
• Junior goalkeeper Jake Fenlason continues to sit atop the Mid-American Conference, ranking first in saves (69) and shutouts (7), while sitting second in save percentage (.821).
60th ANNIVERSARY
The 2014 season marks the 60th anniversary of the men's soccer program at the University of Akron.
UP NEXT
A victory by Akron will advance the Zips into the NCAA Championship for the 29th time in program history.
NCAA SELECTION SHOW
The NCAA will announce its 48-team field for the 2014 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship on Monday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com.
ZIPS LIVE RADIO SHOW
Every Thursday throughout the season from 7-8 p.m. ET, Akron head coaches can be heard on the weekly radio program Zips Live, presented by Lee Hyder and Associates. The show airs locally on 1350 AM (WARF) and originates from Johnny J's Pub and Grill in the Valley (1282 Weathervane Lane). A free audio stream is available on SportsRadio1350.com.
WHAT IS A ZIP?
One of the unique nicknames in collegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron.
Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth "Red" Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletics teams.
Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers.
The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers, a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.
The evolution of Zippy, UA's mascot, began 40 years ago when the student council decided the University needed a mascot.
"Zippy" the kangaroo was officially declared the school's mascot on May 1, 1953. The first known printed reference to the mascot as "Zippy" was a 1965 Zip football press brochure. The Buchtelite's first use of the name "Zippy" came Sept. 24, 1965, in an identification of a photo of the cheerleaders listing "Mascot - 'Zippy' - Charles Huettner."
In 2007, Zippy was named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.
VOTE FOR ZIPPY
Once again, our beloved mascot Zippy is a candidate for the Capital One National Mascot of the Year. One of 16 candidates, she has her work cut out for her!
This year's voting structure provides fans three ways to catapult their mascot to victory. By clicking "vote now," fans earn one (1) point for their mascot. To go even further in expressing their enthusiasm, fans can complete weekly 50-point and/or 100-point challenges by posting clever entries on Twitter or Facebook using their mascot's unique hashtag. Voting opens Monday, August 25, 2014 and continues weekly through Sunday, December 7, 2014. Fans can visit Zippy's Mascot Challenge Headquarters (GoZips.com/VoteForZippy) for more information on the competition, Zippy's schedule, social media resources and more.
