The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Kent State
Midweek MACtion Kicks Off Third Weekend of MAC Play for Zips
October 04 | Women's Soccer
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Match Notes (PDF)
Akron (1-9-2, 0-3-1Â MAC) vs. Kent State (7-4-1, 3-1-0 MAC)
Thursday, Oct. 5
Kent, Ohio. • 7 p.m.Â
Live Stats:Â GoZips.com
Live Stream:Â GoZips.com
Akron (1-9-2, 0-3-1 MAC) vs. Ohio (5-6-1, 2-1-1 MAC)
Sunday, Oct. 8
FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field • 1 p.m.
Live Stats:Â GoZips.com
Watch: ESPN3
Whats Ahead
The Akron women's soccer team returns to the pitch for two games this upcoming week against cross-town rival Kent State and Ohio. The Zips begin with midweek MACtion on Thursday, Oct. 5, with another rendition of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge at Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio, at 7 p.m. Akron then returns to the friendly confines of FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field for an afternoon affair against the Bobcats on Sunday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m.
ESPN3
Akron's contest against Ohio will be aired live on ESPN3 with Dave Bacon calling the play-by-play, and Jon Horton providing color commentary.
Scouting the Golden FlashesÂ
Kent State finds itself at the top of the MAC East Division through four league contests with a 3-1-0 MAC record, and an overall record of 7-4-1. The Golden Flashes opened conference play with three straight wins over Central Michigan (2-1), Eastern Michigan (1-0), and Miami (1-0), before suffering their first lost to Ball State (0-1). In the preseason poll, Kent State was predicted to finish first in the MAC East and received two votes to win the MAC tournament.Â
The Golden Flashes have totaled 14 goals as an offensive unit in 2017. Vital Kats has tallied a team-leading four goals and two assists for 10 total points. The combination of Kats, Cameron Shedenhelm and Isabelle Mihail have scored nine of the KSU goals.Â
In the net, Ashleah McDonald has taken the role of the primary keeper for the Golden Flashes and has compiled a 6-3-1 record in 10 appearances and nine starts. In 830 minutes of play, McDonald has totaled a goals against average of 0.76, a save percentage of .851, made 40 saves, surrendered just seven goals, and recorded four clean sheets.Â
Scouting the Bobcats
After four conference games, the Bobcats own a 2-1-1 league record and are 5-6-1 overall. With two weekends down in MAC play, Ohio finds itself in second place in the East Division with seven games to play. Last weekend, the Bobcats split results with a 3-1 loss to Ball State and a 1-1 tie with Miami.Â
The pair of Allie Curry and Hannah Jaggers lead the offensive charge for the Bobcats scoring eight goals combined. Curry has tallied 11 points, contributed by five goals, one assist, on 25 shots, nine shots on goal, and two successful penalty kicks, while Jaggers has attempted 32 shots and successfully scored on three attempts, all of which were game-winners.Â
Erin Beurket and Sydney Malham have split duties in goal for the Bobcats. In five starts, Malham owns a 4-3-0 record, 0.96 goals against average, a .833 save percentage, made 30 saves, and has given up six goals. Buerket has posted a 1-3-1 record in seven starts, while giving up eight goals, made 18 saves, and posted a 1.31 goals against average.Â
Series History
Kent State and Akron have faced-off in 16 games in program history, with the Golden Flashes holding a 13-3 record over the Zips. In the Akron versus Ohio series, the Bobcats have edged the Zips, 10-4-1 in 15 matches. In the past two meetings, the two teams have split with Akron winning in 2015 (2-0), and Ohio winning in 2016 (4-1).Â
Coaches
Kent State: Rob Marinaro, one of the longest-tenured coaches in the MAC, is in his 17th season as head coach of the Golden Flashes women's program and has compiled a 159-129-36 record over his career. He led KSU to its first MAC tournament championship in 2016.Â
Ohio: Aaron Rodgers is in his fifth season at the helm of the Bobcats program since taking over in 2012. Since then, Rodgers has led Ohio to a 29-52-7 overall record.Â
Akron: Noreen Herlihy is in her third season on the sidelines as the head coach of The University of Akron's women's soccer program. She owns an 11-33-8 record leading the Zips since taking over the program. In her first year in charge of the program, Herlihy and her staff led the 2015 Akron Zips to the Mid-American Conference tournament for the first time since 2009 and advanced to the semi-final round for the initial time in program history.Â
2017 Zips Tidbits
- Akron predicted to place fifth in the MAC East in the 2017 preseason poll
- Eight freshmen earned their first career start in the Zips 2017 season opener; Amani Jiu, Abigail Brown, Erin Babcock, Annamarie Alfery, Angela Boyce, Ryley Watt, Rylie Howman, Ally Brown
- Amani Jiu notched her first career clean sheet against Milwaukee, 0-0, and her first career victory with a 3-0 shutout over Green Bay.Â
- Erin Babcock notched her first career goal and first game-winning goal against Green Bay with a header off a corner kick.Â
- Eliese LaCourt tallied her first collegiate assist against Milwaukee and scored her first career goal against Loyola.Â
- Rachel Baughman and Catie Corrigan each scored their first goal of the 2017 campaign against Green Bay with each tallying their second career goal.Â
- Erica Schrader assist to Babcock against Green Bay off a corner kick was the juniors first of the season and second career assist.Â
- Akron has been called for two yellow cards in 2017Â
- Ashley Amato made her first start of the season after returning from a preseason injury. In her first start, the sophomore quickly impacted the game scoring her first two goals of the season and her first multi-goal game of her career.Â
- Akron needs two wins to reach the 100-win milestone in program history.Â
Where They Rank In The MAC
Ashley Amato ranks sixth in the conference in shots per game (3.00) and goals per contest (0.43), and eighth in points per match (0.86). Erica Schrader ranks tied for seventh in assists. In the net, Amani Jiu ranks tied for sixth in the conference in saves (54), saves per game (4.5), and tied for seventh in shutouts (2).Â
Fountain of Youth
The Zips welcomed in 13 freshmen to the 2017 roster. Akron is tied for the second largest incoming class in the nation with 13. Only New Mexico State has a larger freshman class with 15 freshmen.Â
Seeing double
Freshmen Abigail and Ally Brown (Batavia, Ohio) are the first pair of twin sisters to play together in an Akron uniform. The sisters play on opposite ends of the field, Ally, a forward, and Abigail, a defender, have used their experience playing together to help make an impact on the field for the Zips.Â
Jiu Earns First MAC Defensive Player of the week
Freshman goalkeeper Amani Jiu (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was named the first Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the 2017 season, on Aug. 21.
In the opening weekend of play, Jiu (pronounced Joo) helped Akron women's soccer to an undefeated 1-0-1 record. Earning the starting goalkeeper position, the true freshman recorded a shutout and nine saves in the double-overtime 0-0 draw against defending Horizon League champion Milwaukee in her first career start.
Two days later, Jiu defended the goal against Green Bay, helping the Zips to a 3-0 victory. UA held the Phoenix scoreless through 90 minutes of play, giving Jiu her first collegiate victory and her second straight shutout to start her career.
The back-to-back clean sheets in the opening weekend of play are the first consecutive shutouts to start the season by an Akron goalie since 2006, and just the third in program history.
ZIps Lose, 2-1, In Late PK Decision
The Akron women's soccer team jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first half of the match and outshot the Eagles thanks to an aggressive offensive mindset , but two second-half goals, including the game-winning tally off a penalty kick in the 83' was the deciding factor in the Zips 2-1 loss to Eastern Michigan on Oct. 1.
ZIPS EARN WELL DESERVED RESULT AFTER COMEBACK EFFORT IN 1-1 2OT DRAW
After trailing for 77 minutes' courtesy of an early Central Michigan goal, the Zips scored in the 85th minute of regulation to force overtime, as the Akron women's soccer team earned a result in its comeback effort against Central Michigan after a 1-1 double-overtime draw at the CMU Soccer Complex on Sept. 29.
Zips Go Down To The Wire With NIU But Fall 2-1
The University of Akron women's soccer program went down to the wire with the 2016 Mid-American Conference tournament runner-ups, Northern Illinois, but ultimately fell just short to the Huskies, 2-1, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet field on Sept. 22.
Two Late Goals Drop Zips, 2-0, Despite Battling With Broncos
The University of Akron women's soccer team continued to fight in its second Mid-American Conference match of the season against Western Michigan, but two late goals by the Broncos edged the Zips, 2-0, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Sept. 24.Â
WOMEN'S SOCCER HANGS TOUGH IN 1-0 SETBACK TO DUQUESNE
On the final night of non-conference play for the 2017 campaign, the Akron women's soccer team hung tough against the 2016 Atlantic-10 tournament champion, Duquesne, but ultimately fell short, 1-0, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Sept. 15.
The Zips posted nine shots in the contest against the Dukes with five coming on goal. Akron also outshot Duquesne, 6-4, in the second stanza.
Zips Go Toe-to-Toe with A-10 Champion Dayton
The Akron women's soccer team went toe-to-toe with the reigning Atlantic-10 champions, Dayton, for a full 90 minutes but fell just short of a result falling 3-2, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Sept. 8.
Akron took the offensive advantage in the match by outshooting the Flyers, 13-11, on the night, along with the edge in corner kicks, 5-3. Ashley Amato (Pittsburgh, Pa.) in her second game back on the year and first start of the season paced the Akron attack with five shots, including a pair of goals in the 35th and 47th minutes.
Zips Offensive Surge Not Enough in 1-0 Loss to Niagara
The Akron women's soccer team blitzed Niagara offensively with 16 shots, including outshooting the Purple Eagles, 11-1, in the second half, but the Zips conceded an early goal as Niagara defeated Akron, 1-0, on Sept. 3.
Zips Lose Heartbreaker In Closing Minutes
The Akron women's soccer team played Cleveland State into the 107' of a double-overtime match with the possession in favor of the Zips, before losing a heartbreaker to the Vikings in the closing minutes of the match, 1-0, courtesy of a golden goal, on Aug. 31.
ZIPS FIRST WIN SECURES UNDEFEATED OPENING WEEKEND
An offensive outpouring by the Zips earned Akron its first win of the 2017 season with a 3-0 victory over Green Bay to secure an undefeated opening weekend at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet field on Aug. 20.
Akron used a combination of attacking offense, including 13 shots, 11 on goal, and a stout defensive effort to earn the win over the Phoenix.
A flurry of goals from the Zips came courtesy of freshman Erin Babcock (Liberty Township, Ohio), sophomore Catie Corrigan (Avon Lake, Ohio), and junior Rachel Baughman (Alliance, Ohio). Babcock, who scored the first goal of the season for the Zips, also notched her first collegiate goal in her second start.
On the defensive side of the ball, freshman goalkeeper Amani Jiu was once again phenomenal in the goal as she recorded her second consecutive clean sheet in her first college starts along with the help of her defensive line made up of four freshmen. In the contest, the Akron goalie made four saves.
2017 Preseason Prediction
The 2017 Mid-American Conference women's soccer preseason poll was announced by the league on Aug. 14 and the Akron Zips were predicted to finish fifth overall in the Eastern Division, by a vote of the leagues head coaches.
Out of the East, Kent State was chosen to come out atop the standings and received 10 first-place votes, followed by Buffalo with two first-place votes, and Miami (Ohio).
In the West, Ball State was selected to take the division title for the second straight year. Central Michigan and Western Michigan round out the top three spots in the West.
The 2016 MAC regular season champions, Ball State, are predicted to win the 2017 MAC Tournament receiving four votes, while Central Michigan garnered three votes, and Kent State earned two.
A Look Back at 2016
The Zips', guided by Herlihy, ended the year with a record of 4-11-4, and went 1-6-4 in Mid-American Conference play. Ashley Amato is the Zips returning leading goal scorer from 2016 with four goals. Three of her goals came in MAC play with each leading a crucial role in all three contests. Amato was named to the 2017 MAC All-Freshman team for her performance throughout league play. Akron's defensive unit and keepers combined to complete three shutouts on the season. The Zips 111 total saves were the second-most in the MAC and their 75 saves in conference play were a league-best.Â
Zips in the Pros
Two Akron alumnae are currently playing professional soccer overseas. Lani Smith (2013-14) is currently competing in Sweden with the Vasteras BK 30 and Sydney Blomquist (2013-14) is competing in Finland with Aland United.Â
In Smith's two seasons with the Zips, she was named to the 2014 All-MAC first team and Smith currently ranks first in shots (135), fifth in points (33), goals (15), t-6 in game-winning goals (4) in Akron program history. Â
Blomquist played for the Zips for two seasons after transferring to Akron from Louisville. In her career with the Zips, Blomquist appeared in 27 games with 23 starts, scored one goal, tallied one assist, and posted 24 shots with 12 on goal.Â
