The University of Akron Athletics
No. 22 Zips set to open NCAA Tournament at Ohio State
November 19 | Men's Soccer
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Match #21: No. 22 Akron (13-6-1) at Ohio State (9-7-4)
Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 • 5 p.m. ET
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (8,000) • Columbus, Ohio
Webstream | Live Stats
THIS WEEK
Akron opens its run in the NCAA Championship battling Ohio State on Thursday, Nov. 20, in the opening round of the 48-team tournament. Game time at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium is set for 5 p.m.
Under the guidance of second-year head coach Jared Embick, the Zips stand 13-6-1 overall after a 2-1 triumph over Bowling Green on Sunday, Nov. 16, in the MAC Championship.
After 20 matches, sophomore midfielder Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) is the Zips' leading scorer with 13 goals, four assists, and 30 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 20 games and has a 0.78 goals-against average. He has seven shutouts, 72 saves in nearly 1,840 minutes of action.
The Ohio State Buckeyes, under the tutelage of 18th-year head coach John Bluem, stand 9-7-4 overall after suffering a 2-1 setback versus Indiana in the semifinals of the Big Ten Championship on Nov. 14.
After 20 matches, senior midfielder Yianni Sarris is the team leader with five goals, five assists, and 15 points. sophomore forward Danny Jensen and junior defender Liam Doyle follow with 11 (5G, 1 A) and 10 (5G) points, respectively. In goal, senior Alex Ivanov has 84 saves and a 0.92 GAA in 20 games.
AKRON-OHIO STATE: THE SERIES
Thursday evening's game is the 38th meeting between Akron and Ohio State in series history. The Zips lead, 28-6-3, and have won four straight and are unbeaten in the last nine encounters.
Earlier this season, Akron registered a 3-1 road triumph past the Buckeyes on Sept. 24, 2014. Ohio State's last win in the series came in 2006, a 1-0 victory in Columbus, Ohio (Sept. 26, 2006).
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Akron maintains an 22-24-6 mark in 52 matches in NCAA Championship history, including capturing the school's first national championship in any sport in 2010. The Zips are 1-1 under head coach Jared Embick. Since 2005, Akron owns a 13-4-6 ledger.
Junior defender Andrew Souders (Amherst, Ohio) and senior forward Saad Abdul-Salaam (Gahanna, Ohio) are Akron's active leaders in NCAA Tournament games started (4). No active Zip has registered a tournament goal, while sophomore midfielder Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) owns the lone assist among player's on this year's team. Salaam, Najem and sophomore forward Victor Souto (Sao Paulo, Brazil) have recorded four, three and one shot, respectively. In two NCAA Tournament starts in goal, junior Jake Fenlason (San Diego, Calif.) has made 16 saves.
When postseason play begins, the Zips will join an elite group of just six Division I programs that have qualified for the NCAA Championships in each of the past eight seasons. Only Indiana, Louisville, Maryland, UCLA, and Virginia can share that claim.
AKRON-OHIO STATE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The Zips have met Ohio State one other time in NCAA Championship play with Akron owning a 1-0 double-overtime triumph on Nov. 27, 2008 at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.
AKRON VERSUS THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
• The Zips went 2-2 against the Big Ten Conference during the regular season and have gone 12-2-1 against the league since 2012.
• This season, Akron has defeated Ohio State (3-1, Sept. 24) and Michigan (3-0, Oct. 14), while dropping a pair of 1-0 decisions at then ranked No. 17 Michigan State (Oct. 7) and No. 25 Penn State (Nov. 5).
• In all, Akron is 29-6-4 (.795) versus teams from the Big Ten since 2007. During that time, the Zips have out-scored the competition, 70-26.
LAST GAME: AKRON VS. BOWLING GREEN
Freshman forward Anthony Macchione (Camas, Wash.) connected on the game-winning goal in the 79th minute (78:10) to propel Akron to its 11th Mid-American Conference Championship title on the strength of a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph over Bowling Green in the championship game of the Mid-American Conference Championship on Sunday, Nov. 16, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
The game-winning tally was set-up by a pass into the box by senior forward Saad Abdul-Salaam to a cutting Macchione, who struck a shot at the 78:10 mark just in front of the goal that deflected off of junior goalkeeper Nick Landsberger and into the net for his third goal of the year to give Akron a 2-1 lead.
Akron dominated the offensive production in the initial stanza outshooting the Falcons, 13-3, including 5-2 on goal. redshirt freshman Sam Gainford (Whitehaven, England) registered five first-half shots, while junior forward Sean Sepe (West Islip, N.Y.) and freshman midfielder Richie Laryea (Toronto, Ontario) added three and two shots, respectively.
Freshman midfielder Jesse Garcia-Aguilar (Portland, Ore.) appeared to give the Zips a 1-0 lead in the 57th minute (56:31) as he found the back of the net on what was ruled to be a ball kicked across the endline on the play by Akron.
The Zips were whistled for a foul just outside the box in the 67th minute (66:28) that Jacob Roth bent around the Akron defensive wall and into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season to give Bowling Green a 1-0 lead.
Less than 30 seconds later (66:56) senior Clint Caso (Kinnelon, N.J.) was tackled hard in the box resulting in a penalty kick for the Zips.
Stepping to the line and converting on the scoring opportunity for his team-leading 13th goal of the year was sophomore midfielder Adam Najem.
Akron finished the tilt owning a 21-7 advantage in shots, including 9-4 on goal. Gainford posted a game-high six shots for the Zips, while contributing four-, three-, three- and two-shot performances were Laryea, Najem, Sepe and Macchione. Fenlason made three stops for the Zips.
ZIPS GARNER CONFERENCE-BEST SEVEN ALL-MAC SELECTIONS
Led by sophomore midfielder Adam Najem, senior forward Saad Abdul-Salaam, junior goalkeeper Jake Fenlason and junior defender Andrew Souders 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 Nov. 13.
Freshman forward Stuart Holthusen, Richie Laryea along with sophomore midfielder Victor Souto were tabbed second-team selections.
AKRON PLACES FOUR ON MAC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
The Zips placed four players on the MAC All-Tournament team following Akron's 2-1 victory over Bowling Green in the championship match on Nov. 16. Chosen to the 11-player squad were senior Clint Caso, redshirt freshman Sam Gainford, sophomore Adam Najem and sophomore Victor Souto.
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 for the period of Nov. 3-9. 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 Nov. 8. Caso has appeared in 27 games at Akron, including eight starts and owns two goals on nine career shots. Abdul-Salaam has started 43 of the 53 games he has played in as a Zip recording three goals and 12 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 22nd in the Top Drawer Soccer national poll and 23rd in the latest NCAA RPI index. The Zips are 27th in both the College Soccer News Top-30 and the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA) polls.
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 50 of Akron's 98 points this season (51.0 percent). The group has also posted 20 of the Zips' 36 goals this fall (55.6 percent).
• Following not having scored a goal in his collegiate career enter Akron's showdown with Buffalo on Nov. 8, senior Clint Caso collected scores in two of the Zips' last three 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 (72) and shutouts (7), while sitting second in save percentage (.818).
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 second round of the NCAA Championship and a date at top-seeded Notre Dame on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m.
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.
