Zips Soccer Hosts Cross-Town Rival Kent State

October 05 | Women's Soccer

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WHATS AHEAD

Akron is set for a showdown with cross-town rival Kent State in a mid-week clash on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 7p.m. The Zips host the Golden Flashes at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. The game is another rendition of the Crystal Clinic Orthopedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge between the Zips and Flashes, with the winner receiving a full point for their respective school.

LAST WEEK

The Zips played their first two home Mid-American Conference games this past weekend at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. Akron scored a goal in the 90' against Toledo to push the game into extra-time where the Zips and Rockets played to a double-overtime 1-1 draw on Sept. 30. To close out the weekend, Akron battled with Bowling Green but fell, 2-1, on Oct. 2.

Freshman Ashley Amato paced the Akron offense this past weekend scoring both goals for the Zips in each of their contests. The defenders goal in the 90' against Toledo forced the game into extra-time and later was the pivotal reason for the Zips double-OT draw with the Rockets. Amato again put the Zips on the scoreboard against the Falcons. The freshman received a pass between two defenders and beat the BGSU keeper on a breakaway goal.

Senior Annabelle Hegeman (Frostburg, Md.) logged 200 minutes of action between the posts for the Zips this weekend. Hegeman turned away 11 shots including seven against Toledo. Hegeman has tallied 53 saves on the year and owns a goals-against average of 1.54.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN FLASHES

Kent State sits atop the MAC East Division with a perfect 4-0 record in the conference and owns a 8-1 overall record. The Flashes have defeated Toledo (2-1), Bowling Green (1-0), Northern Illinois (2-0), and Western Michigan (5-1).

The Golden Flashes Jenna Hellstrom leads the attack for Kent State with seven goals and six assists for 20 points. Hellstrom also leads the team in shots (31), shots on goal (20), and game-winning goals (3). An additional six other Flashes have notched a goal for Kent State.

Ashleah McDonald has made all nine starts for Kent State (8-1-0) in the goal totaling 827 minutes of work. McDonald owns a .087 goals-against average, allowing just eight goals while making 29 saves through nine games.

SERIES HISTORY

Akron and Kent State are scheduled to meet for the 16th time in the historic rivalry game between the two schools. Through 15 games, the Golden Flashes hold the edge over of the Zips, 12-3-0.

COACHES

Kent State: Rob Marinaro: Enters his 16th season with the Kent State women's program. Marinaro has been at the helm since its inaugural year in 1997, and owns a 137-122-33 overall record, while going 81-71-16 in conference play.

Akron: Noreen Herlihy is in her second year with the Akron women's soccer program and owns a 9-20-4 record with the Zips (all-time 259-133-34).

AKRON NOTES

Allen's six points in a match are a conference-high
Allen's hat trick against Robert Morris (9/8) is the lone hat trick in the MAC in 2016.
In MAC play, Amato ranks third-T in goals (2), sixth-T in points, and seventh-T in points per game (1).
In overall play, Allen ranks sixth-T in the MAC with five goals, sixth-T in points (10), and seventh in goals per game (.42) and points/game (.83).
In overall play, Hegeman ranks second in the MAC with 53 saves and fifth in saves per game (4.42).
Through four games in MAC play, Hegeman ranks second-T in saves (19), third-T in saves/game (4.75), fourth in GAA (0.90), and fifth-T in save percentage (.826).
Hegeman boasted her first clean sheet of the year against Miami (9/23)
Allen Notched her first career hat-trick against Robert Morris (9/8) fifth in program history, first since 2013
Sivic now sits third-T overall in most career goals scored (16) and second in most career points (43)
Allen's five goals are tied for 8th most scored in a single-season
Amato, Baughman, Corrigan, Schrader all tallied their first career goal vs. CSU (9/4)
Corrigan also notched her first career assists vs. CSU (9/4)
Akron scored three unanswered goals in the second half vs. CSU to complete come from behind win (9/4).
Hegeman made season-high eight saves vs. Butler (8/28)
Freshman Chloe Allen scored first two collegiate goals against Green Bay (8/21)
Freshman Julia Crowe recorded her first collegiate assists vs. Green Bay (8/21)
Junior Sydney Schipani recorded her first collegiate assists vs. Green Bay (8/21)
Seven freshman started against Green Bay including the entire back line.
Akron returns 13 letterwinners from the 2015 squad.
New to the roster this year are 13 newcomers made up of 11 incoming freshman and two foreign transfers.
Assistant coach Rob Battisson is in his second stint with the Zips program. He was an assistant coach in 2007.
Three Zips' scored during Akron's lone exhibition match: Abby Gindlesberger, Sarah Sivic, Rachel Baughman.
All 22 available players for the exhibition saw action including eight newcomers.
Sarah Sivic is closing in on Akron's all-time career leader in goals (13-19) and one assist away from becoming the program leader in most career assists (11).
Sivic's six goals last year are seventh most in a season.
Sivic and Rachel Baughman posted four assists each last year and sit fourth all-time in mosts assists in a season.
In just her first year with the program, Annabelle Hegeman posted the second most saves in a season (85) and sits at sixth all-time in career saves (85).
Rachel Baughman, Abby Gindlesberger, Karin Norman, and Sarah Sivic all set a program-best 21 games played in a season last year.
Gindlesberger and Sivic also started all 21 of those games.