Penalty Kick Lifts No. 23 San Diego State Past No. 1 Akron, 1-0

Friday, September 2

San Diego, Calif.

10 pm

University of Akron

2-1-0

San Diego St.

2-0-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Akron	0	0	0
San Diego St.	0	1	1

Penalty Kick Lifts No. 23 San Diego State Past No. 1 Akron, 1-0

September 02 | Men's Soccer

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SAN DIEGO, Calif. – A successful penalty kick by Travis Nicklaw in the 61sth minute (60:55) proved to be all the scoring No. 23 San Diego State (2-0-1) needed as the Aztecs registered a 1-0 victory over top-rated Akron (2-1-0) on Friday, Sept. 2.

"Credit to San Diego State, they played a great game and out worked us," said Akron head coach Jared Embick. "We lost the battles and thus couldn't get our game going. Now we have to show character and respond on Monday."

The Zips were outshot in the affair, 10-6, including 3-2 on goal. Redshirt sophomore Ezana Kahsay (Asmeras, Eritrea) posted a game-high two shots for Akron, while the Zips also received one shot apiece from seniors Brad Ruhaak (Akron, Ohio) and Goncalo Soares (Lisbon, Portugal), and redshirt juniors Sam Gainford (Liverpool, England) and Tyler Sanda (North Royalton, Ohio). Recording two shots apiece for the Aztecs was Kyle Adams and Jeroen Meefout.

San Diego State edged Akron in shots in the initial stanza, 7-2, including 2-1 on net.

Sanda recorded the initial shot on goal in the game at the 15:51 mark, a strike that was saved by goalkeeper Adam Allmaras.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany) garnered saves on the Aztecs' shots on goal in the 19th (18:31) and 21st minutes (20:54), respectively, to keep the tilt scoreless.

San Diego State broke the stalemate at the 60:55 mark after the Zips were whistled for a foul in the box. Nicklaw stepped over the kick and delivered a strike past Lundt to provide the Aztecs a 1-0 advantage.

The Zips nearly evened the affair at one in the 71st minute as a Soares' header off a Gainford corner kick at the 70:56 mark went just high.

Akron again looked to score off a set piece as Gainford's corner kick was delivered into the box where Ruhaak got his head on the ball in the 78th minute (78:00), but again Allmaras pulled in the ball for the save. The strike on net proved to be the final shot of the evening for either side.

Allmaras registered two saves for San Diego State en route to posting the shutout. Lundt also recorded one stop for Akron.

The Zips return to action battling No. 4 UCLA on Monday, Sept. 5. Game time at Drake Stadium is set for 8 p.m. ET. The contest will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.