The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Soccer Hosts Buffalo in MAC Showdown on Senior Night
November 07 | Men's Soccer
Follow Akron Men's Soccer on Twitter and Facebook
GAMENOTES IN PDF
Match #18: Buffalo (5-9-2, 1-1-2 MAC) at #23 Akron (10-6-1, 3-1 MAC)
Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014 • 7 p.m. ET
FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field (5,000) • Akron, Ohio
WARF Radio • Webstream • Live Stats
THIS WEEK
No. 23 Akron closes out its regular-season campaign hosting Buffalo on Senior Night on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.
Under the guidance of second-year head coach Jared Embick, the Zips stand 10-6-1 overall and 3-1 in MAC play after a 1-0 setback at No. 25 Penn State on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
After 17 matches, sophomore MF Adam Najem (Clifton, N.J.) is the Zips' leading scorer with 10 goals, two assists, and 22 points. Freshman F Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand) follows with four goals, three assists, and 11 points. In goal, junior Jake Fenlason (San Diego, Calif.) has started all 16 games and has a 0.79 goals-against average. He has six shutouts, 62 saves in nearly 1,480 minutes of action.
The Buffalo Bulls, under the tutelage of second-year head coach Stu Riddle, stand 5-9-2 overall after a 3-0 loss at West Virginia on Nov. 1.
After 16 matches, sophomore MF Russell Cicerone paces the Bulls' attack registering team highs in goals (10), points (23), shots (52), shots on goal (24) and game-winning goals (3), while ranking third in assists (3). Junior F Marcus Hanson follows with two goals and a team-high four assists on 28 shots. Senior GK Waleed Cassis has 36 saves and a 1.67 GAA in 12 games.
AKRON-BUFFALO: THE SERIES
Saturday night's game is the 26th meeting between Akron and Buffalo in series history (since 1996). The Zips have won the last 10 encounters and lead the series, 23-1-1.
Last season, a golden goal by Adam Najem lifted the No. 23 Zips to a 1-0 double-overtime triumph at Buffalo on Oct. 18, 2013.
LAST GAME: PENN STATE 1, AKRON 0
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 81st minute (80:44) lifted the 25th-rated Nittany Lions to a 1-0 victory past the Zips.
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.
Adam 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.
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.
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.
The Zips peppered Wolverton with back-to-back shots on goal from redshirt freshman forward Sam Gainford (Whitehaven, England) (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, freshman midfielder Richie Laryea (Toronto, Ontario), Najem and Sepe.
Jake Fenlason registered four saves for Akron.
AKRON TO HONOR THREE SENIORS
The Zips will honor seniors Clint Caso (Kinnelon, N.J.), Saad Abdul-Salaam (Gahanna, Ohio) and manager Foday Kromah prior to Akron's game versus Buffalo on Saturday, Nov. 8. Caso has appeared in 24 games at Akron, including five starts and owns seven career shots. Abdul-Salaam has started 40 of the 50 games he has played in as a Zip recording three goals and 11 assists on 48 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 GK Jake Fenlason, MF Adam Najem, D Brad Ruhaak (Akron, Ohio), and D Andrew Sounders (Amherst, Ohio).
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 16 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 No. 23 in the latest Top Drawer Soccer national poll, while the Zips are rated 28th and 30th, respectively, by College Soccer News and the NSCAA.
NAJEM NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Akron sophomore midfielder Adam Najem was named the Mid-American Conference Men's Soccer co-Player of the Week on Nov. 3.
The team captain helped Akron to two wins on the week.
In the 5-0 shutout over Cleveland State, Najem netted the first hat trick of his career. He scored the game-winner, and eight minutes later, added an insurance goal. Before halftime, he added his third goal on the night. Najem became the first Zip to tally a hat trick since Reinaldo Brenes did it in the 4-0 win over Buffalo on Sept. 29, 2012.
In the 2-1 win at Northern Illinois, Najem booted in the game-winning goal on a penalty kick in the 82nd minute.
Najem has started all 16 games this fall. He is the team scoring leader with 10 goals, two assists, and 22 points. He is a perfect 3-for-3 in penalty kicks.
Najem earned the MAC honor for the second time this season and is the fourth Zip honoree this fall. Freshman forward Stuart Holthusen (Oct. 20) and junior goalkeeper Jake Fenlason (Oct. 13) also earned MAC accolades this fall. Najem was also recognized on Oct. 6.
Najem shared weekly honors with West Virginia's Andy Bevin who had a hat trick in the win over Buffalo.
NAJEM GARNERS NATIONAL ACCOLADES
Akron sophomore midfielder Adam Najem garnered national recognition for his efforts in a pair of Zips' victories last week as he was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com and the College Soccer News National Men's Soccer Teams of the Week on Nov. 4.
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
• 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 (66) and shutouts (6), while sitting second in save percentage (.825).
60th ANNIVERSARY
The 2014 season marks the 60th anniversary of the men's soccer program at the University of Akron.
UP NEXT
Akron will begin play in the Mid-American Conference Championship on Nov. 14. The tournament bracket will be announced following the completion of all games on Nov. 8.
