The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Central Michigan
Zips Head Out On First MAC Road Trip
September 28 | Women's Soccer
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Match Notes (PDF)
Akron (1-8-1, 0-2-0 MAC) vs. Central Michigan (5-4-1, 0-2-0 MAC)
Friday, Sept. 29
Mount Pleasant, Mich. • 6 p.m.Â
Live Stats:Â GoZips.com
Live Stream: GoZips.com
Akron (1-8-1, 0-2-0 MAC) vs. Eastern Michigan (3-7-1, 0-2-0 MAC)
Sunday, Oct. 1
Ypsilanti, Mich. • 1 p.m.
Live Stats:Â GoZips.com
Whats Ahead
Mid-American Conference play picks back up this weekend, as the Zips head on their first road trip of league play. Akron heads to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to take on Central Michigan on Friday, Sept. 29, before traveling to Ypsilanti, Mich., on Sunday, Oct. 1, for a contest with Eastern Michigan.Â
Scouting the ChippewasÂ
Central Michigan currently sits tied for fourth in the MAC West division after opening league play 0-2-0, but owns a 5-4-1 record through 10 games. In the first weekend of conference play, the Chippewas fell to Kent State (1-2) and Ohio (0-3) on the road.
The CMU offensive efforts are led by Lexi Pelafas, who has tallied 15 points courtesy of seven goals and an assist. In 732 minutes of play, Pelafas has posted 51 shots, 20 shots on goal, one game winner, and is 1-for-1 in penalty kicks. Nationally, the CMU forward ranks fifth in shots per game (5.67), 14th in shots on goal per contest (2.22), 16th in goals per game (0.78), and 25th in points per match (1.67). Along side Pelafas, Madison Costner, Mary Carlson, and Devyn Brough have combined to score an additional eight goals.Â
Zoie Reed is the primary goalkeeper for the Chippewas in her third season on CMU roster. In 10 starts, the netminder has allowed 15 goals, made 45 saves, garnered a 1.48 goals against average, posted a .750 save percentage, and owns a pair of clean sheets.Â
Scouting the Eagles
After last weekend's MAC opener, Eastern Michigan is tied for fourth in the MAC West Division with a 0-2-0 conference record, after dropping a pair of contests against Ohio (1-2 OT) and Kent State (0-1). The Eagles have lost four straight contests heading into the weekend. Prior to the match with the Zips, EMU squares off with Buffalo on Friday, Sept. 29.Â
he Eagles have tallied just eight scores in 2017, which ranks 10th in the MAC, despite EMU ranking third in the league in shots. Sabrina McNeil has tallied a team-high two goals and two assists on 28 shots for a total of six points. Six other Eagles have recorded a goal on the year, respectively.Â
In her third season as the starting keeper for Eastern Michigan, Kaylin Williams has started all 11 contests in 2017 totalling 972 minutes. The Eagles' goalie has surrendered 19 goals, made 50 saves, posted a 1.76 goals against average and a .740 save percentage. Â
Series History
Central Michigan has bettered the Zips in the all-time series history, owning a 13-1-2 against Akron. A year ago, the Zips claimed their first win against CMU with a 3-2 double-overtime victory at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. Â
Akron and Eastern Michigan are set to meet for the 17th time, with the Eagles holding the advantage over the Zips, 11-3-2.Â
Coaches
Central Michigan: Peter McGahey has compiled a 23-19-5 Mid-American Conference record and an 40-39-10 overall record since taking over the CMU program five years ago.Â
Eastern Michigan: Scott Hall is the longest-tenured coach in the MAC in his 19th season with the Eagles. Hall owns a career record of 176-149-51 and has captured three MAC regular season titles. 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 11-32-7 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 cornerkick 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
Where they rank
Ashley Amato ranks sixth in the conference in shots per game (3.20) in her five games. In the net, Amani Jiu ranks sixth in the conference in saves (44), tied for sixth in shutouts (2), and eighth in saves per game (4.4).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.
Additionally, Jiu earned the first Summa Health Student-Athlete of the Week honor for the 2017-18 academic year, from Akron Athletics.
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 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).
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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 season 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
