The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Penn State
#23 Men's Soccer Drops 1-0 Decision at #25 Penn State
November 05 | Men's Soccer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The 23rd-ranked Akron men's soccer team saw its modest two-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday night as a goal by Penn State's Mikey Minutillo in the 81stt minute (80:44) lifted the 25th-rated Nittany Lions (12-4-1) to a 1-0 victory past the Zips (10-6-1).
"We were excellent in the second half," Akron head coach Jared Embick said. "We created plenty of chances to score. It was a disappointing was to lose. If we play with the effort we showed in the second half, we can make a run in the tournament. Now we have to focus on winning on Saturday and next weekend."
The two sides waged a defensive battle in the initial stanza as the Nittany Lions outshot the Zips, 6-3, including 4-1 on goal.
Sophomore midfielder Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) garnered the game's first shot connecting on a strike that went wide in the 11th minute (10:02).
Junior goalkeeper Jake Fenlason (San Diego, Calif.) made back-to-back saves for Akron at the 11:45 and 13:56 marks, respectively, off the foot of Brett Gravatt and Connor Maloney.
The Zips thwarted a header by Gravatt blocking his shot off a corner kick in the 34th minute (33:13).
Fenlason followed registering his third and fourth saves in the first half at the 36:46 and 38:22 marks making stops on a pair of shots by Mikey Minutillo.
The Zips attacked Penn State's defensive third over the final few minutes of the half garnering a pair of corner kicks by redshirt freshman forward Sam Gainford (Whitehaven, England), although neither attempt resulted in a shot for Akron.
Najem garnered the Zips' first shot on goal at the 42:51 but his strike was pulled in for a save by Penn State goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton.
Freshman midfielder Richie Laryea's (Toronto, Ontario) shot in the 44th minute (43:21) for Akron went high.
Gainford took the initial corner kick in the final stanza for the Zips at the 50:40 mark, an attempt that didn't result in a shot.
Junior forward Sean Sepe (Islip, N.Y.) collected the first shot of the second half for either team in the 58th minute (57:28), but his attempt was pulled in for a save by Wolverton. He followed with strikes at the 60:53 and 61:33 marks, respectively, each which failed to connect.
Gainford's shot in the 66th minute (65:00) was blocked for the Zips.
Attempts by Najem (67:29) and Gainford (69:47) also were not rewarded with the first goal of the evening.
The Nittany Lions got off three unanswered shots before Laryea netted an attempt at the 77:22 mark.
Penn State broke the stalemate in the 81st minute (80:44) when Minutillo connected on a header for his seventh goal of the season off assists from Riley Grant and Brandon Savino.
Laryea delivered his third shot of the evening at the 83:23 mark, one that went wide.
The Zips peppered Wolverton with back-to-back shots on goal from Gainford (87:24) and freshman forward Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand) (87:36).
Akron earned a pair of corner kicks over the game's final 1:11, but the Zips were unable to turn those attempts into shots.
Akron posted a 10-4 margin in second-half shots en route to recording a 13-10 advantage on the evening. The Nittany Lions bettered the Zips in shots on goal, 6-4.
Akron received three shots apiece from Gainford, Laryea, Najem and Sepe. A pair of three-shot performances by Gravatt and Minutillo sparked Penn State.
Fenlason registered four saves for Akron, while Wolverton turned in five stops for the Nittany Lions, all coming in the second half.
The Zips return to action on Saturday, Nov. 8, closing out their regular season on Senior Night hosting Buffalo in a 7 p.m. tilt at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field. A win by Akron clinches the Mid-American Conference regular-season title for the Zips and the right to host the league's conference championship on Nov. 14-16.
