Zips Tie Buffalo, 2-2

Thursday, October 26

Akron, OH

3 pm

University of Akron

2-13-4 (1-7-3MAC)

Buffalo

7-8-3 (5-4-2MAC)

OT 1

OT 2

Buffalo

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

October 26 | Women's Soccer

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AKRON, Ohio – In the season finale of the 2017 season, the Akron women's soccer team gave everything they had in its last match of the season resulting in a 2-2 double-overtime draw with Buffalo on Thursday afternoon at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.

The Zips ended the 2017 season with a three-game unbeaten streak after a win over Miami (Oct. 19), and a pair of draws against Ball State (Oct. 22), and Buffalo (Oct. 26), both of which are headed to the 2017 Mid-American Conference tournament.

"We are extremely proud of the effort the ladies have shown and played with today, as well as the last three games," said head coach Noreen Herlihy. "It is not easy to have a season in which we had this year and not give up, but the young ladies on this team are committed to this program, never hung their heads, and continued to fight each and every game."

The Zips offensive exploits were led by junior Rachel Baughman (Alliance, Ohio) who netted a pair of goals on three shots. The Akron forwards two scores were the first multi-goal game for Baughman in her career. Junior Shea O'Brien (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) added two shots for the Zips, while sophomore Ashley Amato (Pittsburgh, Pa.), freshman Ally Brown (Batavia, Ohio) and freshman Angela Boyce (Farmington Hills, Mich.) each tallied a shot, respectively.

Freshman Amani Jiu (Brooklyn, N.Y.) pulled in nine saves in the contest after 110 minutes of play bringing her season save total to 101. Jiu is the first goalkeeper in Akron program history to eclipse over 100 saves in a single-season.

Amato got the day started for the Zips with a header in the 23' of play that was punched out of play by the Buffalo keeper, Laura Dougall, resulting in a corner kick.

On the ensuing corner kick, the Zips had another opportunity to grab the lead, but after the ball bounced around in the box, Baughman's shot was blocked by a Bulls defender and was cleared away.

Akron claimed the lead at the 28:21 mark of the first half courtesy of a beautifully executed corner kick. Junior Erica Schrader (Blacklick, Ohio) sent a long pass to the far side of the box from the corner. Freshman Rylie Howman (Ashland, Ohio) was there to get her head on the ball that popped over a wall of defenders and Dougall's head. As the ball went into the air, Baughman broke for the goal line and got her head on the ball and directed it into the back of the net. Schrader picked up her fourth assist of the year, while Howman garnered her first career assist and point.

With two minutes to play in the first stanza, Buffalo tied of the match at one thanks to a goal by Julia Benati.

Heading into the locker room, Akron and Buffalo were neck-and-neck with the Bulls leading in shots, 7-6, the Zips leading in corner kicks, 5-2, and each keeper with two saves.

The Zips regained the lead early in the second half after Baughman scored her second goal of the match beating Dougall to the left side of the goal. Junior Kiana Zuk (Windsor, Ontario) tallied her first assist of the year on the play with a great ball into the box to find Baughman.

Thirty seconds later, Buffalo once again knotted up the score after a miscue by the Zips attempting to clear the ball out of their own box.

The game would stay deadlocked at two goals apiece for the remaining 40 minutes of the match and head into overtime.

In the overtime periods, both Akron and Buffalo notched on a shot on goal but neither team could find the back of the net for the golden-goal game-winner resulting in the draw.