Akron Resumes MAC Play Hosting West Virginia

Saturday, October 13

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

West Virginia

October 12 | Men's Soccer

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MATCH NO. 12 - AKRON VS. WEST VIRGINIA GAME NOTES (PDF) (10/13)

Akron (5-4-2, 0-0-1 MAC) vs. West Virginia (8-5-0, 1-0-0 MAC)
Saturday, Oct. 13
FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field (5,000)
Akron, Ohio. • 7 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 15-3-1
Live Stats: www.gozips.com
Live Stream: ESPN+
Television: ESPN+

MATCH PREVIEW WITH HEAD COACH JARED EMBICK

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron men's soccer team returns to Mid-American Conference play this Saturday, Oct. 13, as the Zips welcome West Virginia to FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. The 7 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+.

SCOUTING WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia enters play against Akron on Saturday, Oct. 13, on the heels of having its three-match winning streak snapped with a 3-0 setback at No. 17 Wright State on Tuesday, Oct. 9. Junior Ryan Kellogg directs the offensive exploits for the Mountaineers owning team-high marks in goals (4), points (9) and game-winners (2), while junior Andres Muriel Albino paces the squad in shots (29) and shots on goal (16). Sophomore goalkeeper Steven Tekesky has recorded 53 saves and posted five shutouts, while maintaining a 1.01 goals against average this season.

As a team, West Virginia is ranked 18th in the NCAA in total assists (25), 24th in assists per game (1.92), 27th in total points (67) and corner kicks (6.00), 31st in save percentage (.806), 34th in total goals (21), 42nd in shots on goal (6.08) and 45th in points per contest (5.15). Individually, Tekesky is 16th in total saves (53), 20th in shutouts (5) and 40th in save percentage (.803), while junior Sebastian Garcia-Herreros is 17th in total assists (6) and 44th in assists per contest (0.46).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and West Virginia are meeting for the 20th time in program history with the Zips owning a 15-3-1 series advantage. A year ago, Akron registered a 4-0 victory over the Mountaineers on Oct. 27, 2017 in Morgantown, W.Va.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 27, 2017 - MORGANTOWN, W.VA.)
The first career hat trick from Stuart Holthusen propelled the ninth-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team to a 4-0 victory over No. 25 West Virginia in Mid-American Conference action on Oct. 27, 2017 in Morgantown, W.Va.

The Zips registered a 9-4 advantage in shots on the evening, including a 5-1 margin in shots on goal.

Holthusen and Manuel Cordeiro directed the offensive efforts for Akron collecting a game-high three shots apiece. Three different Mountaineers garnered a shot in the contest.

Senior goalkeeper Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany) made one save for the Zips en route to posting his second consecutive clean sheet. Steven Tekesky made one stop of his own in net for West Virginia.

The Zips controlled the pace of the contest early, but shots proved hard to come by for either side, as Cordeiro's blocked shot at the 16:48 mark presented the initial shot of the evening.

Akron finally broke through in the 37th minute (37:29) when Holthusen connected on his third goal of the season to provide the Zips a 1-0 advantage. Playing the ball up the middle on the play was Joao Moutinho, who tapped a pass to Pau Belana just outside the box, who in turn slid in the final pass to Holthusen for the tally.

Akron finished the initial stanza with a 3-1 edge in shots, while each team registered one shot on goal.

Andres Albert-Liop delivered a free kick for West Virginia in the 52nd minute (51:56) that went just wide of the net.

Senior Ezana Kahsay (Asmeras, Eritrea) had a strong scoring opportunity at the 52:22 mark as his shot from 12 yards out went high after a pair of skilled passes into the box from Holthusen and Niko De Vera.

Kahsay followed striking a through ball into the box to Holthusen, who was taken down in the box for a penalty-kick opportunity in the 56th minute (55:19). Stepping to the line and connecting on his second goal of the game was Holthusen. The brace represented the sixth multi-goal game of Holthusen's career.

Holthusen pushed the Zips' lead to 3-0 at the 65:48 mark with his third goal of the night and fifth on the campaign off an assist from senior Morgan Hackworth (Bradenton, Fla.).

Cordeiro capped the scoring for Akron in the 70th minute (69:42) with his first goal of the year courtesy of an assist from Hackworth.

THE COACHES
West Virginia: Marlon LeBlanc is in his 13th season as head coach of the West Virginia program, owning a 122-89-32 (.568) record. Overall in 14 years as a head coach, LeBlanc holds a 126-92-32 (.568) mark.

Akron: In his sixth year on the Akron sidelines as head coach, and 12th season overall, is Jared Embick, who owns a 84-27-13 mark (.730), including 131-47-21 (.711) overall, in his 10th year as a head coach.

AKRON HEAD COACH JARED EMBICK
Jared Embick, who had previously served as the Zips' associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, officially became the seventh head coach in the history of The University of Akron men's soccer program in December of 2012.

The 2018 campaign marks his sixth year leading the Zips having registered a 84-27-13 (.730) ledger after posting an 18-4-2 record a season ago en route to earning the program's fifth College Cup berth. Akron also posted a perfect 12-0 ledger at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field in 2017.

During Embick's time at Akron, the Zips have posted the highest winning percentage in the nation with an overall record of 194-40-29 (.793), including a 55-4-4 (.891) mark in Mid-American Conference play, while securing 10 conference tournament titles, 11 trips to the NCAA Tournament and two appearances in the College Cup final.

Due in large part to recruiting efforts of Embick and his staff, Akron identified and secured some of the best prospects in the country – and around the world – with top-five recruiting classes. The Zips' classes of 2015, 2012 and 2009 were ranked No. 1 in the country, while the classes of 2016, 2011 and 2010 each received a No. 2 designation.

More importantly, Akron's recruits have flourished in the Zips' system, which features a style of play that is attractive and attack-oriented, yet effective on both sides of the ball. In total, Embick recruited or helped develop 37 players who have gone on to play professionally either in MLS or overseas since 2007.

Since 2008, Akron leads the country with eight players selected among the top-five selections in the MLS SuperDraft. The Zips also boast the highest total of players chosen among the top-10 draftees over the same span with 12.

ZIPS REGISTER 2-1 WIN AT NO. 8 MICHIGAN STATE
University of Akron men's soccer sophomore David Egbo (Enugu, Nigeria) and redshirt junior Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio) stole the show for the Zips in a 2-1 road triumph over No. 8 Michigan State on Tuesday, Oct. 9, as the duo accounted for both goals in the Akron victory.

Coming off the bench in the 71st minute, Egbo scored what proved to be the game-winning tally at the 81:20 mark to give Akron a 2-1 lead. Harter delivered a ball into the center of the box, one which Egbo struck into the back of the net for his team-leading eighth goal of the season.

The Zips dialed up their defensive efforts sparked by the backline play of senior Abdi Mohamed (Westerville, Ohio), sophomore Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) and freshmen Pol Hernandez (Teia, Spain) and Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.) over the final nine minutes to extend their unbeaten road streak to four with the victory.

Fueled by a 9-6 edge in second-half shots, Akron finished the night posting a 12-10 advantage in shots, while each side recorded four shots on goal.

Harter directed the Zips' offensive efforts scoring a goal and adding an assist on the strength of a team-best three shots, while junior Marcel Zajac (Mississauga, Ontario) collected a pair of shots. Ryan Sierakowski led the Spartans with a game-high four shots.

Ben Lundt made three saves in net for Akron to record the victory, while Jimmy Hague stopped a pair of shots in net for Michigan State.

On a ball placed just beyond the 18-yard box, Harter gave the Zips an early 1-0 advantage connecting on a free kick that found the corner of the net at the 8:40 mark for his first goal of the season.

Sierakowski followed striking a ball from the middle of the box for the Spartans, one which bent and struck the far post in the 12th minute (11:08) to deny the scoring chance.

Lundt made a diving save to the near post off a shot by Sierakowski at the 20:47 mark, before corralling another stop off the foot of DeJuan Jones' foot at the 24:58 mark.

Akron held a 1-0 advantage at the intermission despite being outshot in the opening stanza, 4-3, including 2-1 on goal.

Michigan State netted the equalizer in the 54th minute (53:47) when Michael Wetunga redirected a rebound off a Jones' shot for his first goal of the season.

Harter followed unleashing a strike in the box at the 77:08 mark that deflected off the Michigan State defender and narrowly missed finding the corner of the net for a go-ahead goal.

A shot by Zajac in the 80th minute (79:05) resulted in a save by Hague.

The momentum then swung in the Zips' favor on the strength of Egbo's goal.

A diving header by Jones at the 82:28 mark failed to hit the mark and stood as the last shot of the evening for the Spartans.

AKRON FRESHMEN GARNER MID-SEASON HONORS
The accolades continue to be bestowed upon the Akron men's soccer program as freshman Carlo Ritaccio, Pol Hernandez, Colin Biros (Canton, Ohio) and Marco Milanese garnered recognition on TopDrawerSoccer.com's mid-season list of the top-100 freshmen in college soccer this season.

The quartet was tabbed as the Nos. 13, 32, 60 and 68 selections in the latest ratings.

Milanese, Ritaccio, Hernandez, Biros and have started 11, nine, eight and six games for Akron this fall and have combined to register two goals and a pair of assists on the strength of 18 shots, including three on frame.

EGBO NAMED ZIPS' SEPTEMBER STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
David Egbo was selected as the Summa Health Student-Athlete of the Month for September.

Egbo turned in a solid September registering team-high marks in goals (5), points (13), shots (13), shots on goal (7) and game-winners, while ranking second in assists (3) to lead the Zips to a 4-2 mark.

ZIPS TIDBITS
• Akron's 0-0 draw at Bowling Green marked only the third regular season scoreless league contest for the Zips since joining the Mid-American Conference in 1993. The last time this occurred for Akron was on Oct. 13, 2007 versus Northern Illinois.
• Saturday's contest versus West Virginia represents the 125th match as head coach at Akron for Jared Embick and his 200th game overall in his head coaching career.
• The Zips are unbeaten in their last four road matches (3-0-1) on the strength of three and two goals, respectively, from Diogo Pacheco and David Egbo. Akron has averaged 14.0 shots per contest in those matches, while limiting its opponents to 7.2 shots per tilt. The Zips have also posted a 38-11 margin in corner kicks and a 56-29 edge in total shots.
• Diogo Pacheco and David Egbo are ranked first and third in the Mid-American Conference in goals per game registering 0.83 and 0.73 tallies per contest, respectively. The duo also goes one-two in points per tilt averaging 1.83 and 1.73 points a night.
• Marcel Zajac leads the MAC in assists per game registering 0.67 helpers per outing.
• The three-goal explosion by Diogo Pacheco at VCU on Sept. 26 marked the third hat trick for an Akron player this season joining David Egbo and Ezana Kahsay, who matched the feat versus Canisius on Sept. 15.
• Akron has not had three players register a hat trick since 2005 when Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Ross McKenzie and Geir Nyheim did so for the Zips.
• In six games since returning from injury, Marcel Zajac has provided the Zips with a huge lift offensively contributing a goal and team-high four assists, while adding eight shots, including four on goal.
• Twenty-four players have seen action for Akron this season, including 13 newcomers.
• Marcel Zajac, David Egbo, Morgan Hackworth and Skye Harter have contributed four, three, three and three assists, respectively, to the Zips' total of 24.
• David Egbo's eight-point effort in a 10-0 triumph past Canisius (Sept. 15) marked the most points in a match for a Zip since Ørjan Bjånesø tallied three goals and added a pair of assists in a 7-1 win against St. Bonaventure on Oct. 20, 2000.
• Five different Zips registered goals in Akron's 10-0 victory over Canisius on Sept. 15, including a trio of multi-goal efforts from David Egbo (3), Ezana Kahsay (3) and Diogo Pacheco (2).
• Making his return from injury, Marcel Zajac had a career game against Cansius netting a goal and three assists in the Zips' victory on Sept. 15.
• As a team, the Zips are rated 16th in the NCAA in assists per game (2.18), 19th in points per contest (6.18), total assists (24) and corner kicks (6.18), 23rd in scoring offense (2.00), 25th in total points (68) and 30th in total goals (22).
• Individually, David Egbo is ranked 17th in the NCAA in game-winning goals (3), 24th points per game (1.73), total points (19) and total goals (8) and 28th in goals per contest (0.73).
• Akron will get plenty of opportunities to add to its NCAA resume in the Zips' coming matches as the squad will face three teams ranked in the top-30 of the initial NCAA RPI report released on Oct. 7. Akron will square off against No. 11 Creighton (Oct. 16), No. 23 Northern Illinois (Oct. 20) and No. 26 SIU Edwardsville (Oct. 27).
• Ezana Kahsay is Akron's active career leader in goals (9), shots (77), shots on goal (25), games played (67) and game-winning goals (4), while David Egbo also directs the team in goals (9) and Skye Harter paces the squad in assists (13) and points (29). Ben Lundt has started a team-high 52 games.

PROTECTING OUR HOUSE
Since 2007, the Zips have recorded a 117-10-14 (.879) ledger in home matches at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. Akron owns four unbeaten campaigns during that span, including posting home marks of 12-0-1, 13-0-0, 12-0-1, 10-0-2 and 12-0-0 during the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2017 seasons, respectively.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts No. 10 Creighton on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field for a 7 p.m. tilt.