Akron Opens Conference Play at Bowling Green

Saturday, October 6

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Bowling Green

October 05 | Men's Soccer

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MATCH NO. 10 - AKRON AT BOWLING GREEN GAME NOTES (PDF) (10/6)

Akron (4-4-1, 0-0-0 MAC) at Bowling Green (2-5-2, 0-0-0 MAC)
Saturday, Oct. 6
Cochrane Field (1,500)
Bowling Green, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 47-8-4
Live Stats: www.gozips.com
Live Stream: YouTube.com
Television: YouTube.com

MATCH PREVIEW WITH HEAD COACH JARED EMBICK

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron men's soccer team opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 6, as the Zips square off against Bowling Green. The 7 p.m. tilt at Cochrane Field in Bowling Green, Ohio will be streamed on YouTube.com.

AKRON IN MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE OPENERS
The Zips' contest versus Bowling Green marks the opening game in Akron's five-game conference slate in its 26th season in the Mid-American Conference. In the previous 25 conference openers, Akron owns a 22-2-1 mark. A year ago, the Zips suffered a 1-0 setback at No. 12 Western Michigan on Oct. 7, 2017.

SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green comes into competition this Saturday, Oct. 6, having snapped a four-match winless streak with a 2-1 home triumph past Valparaiso on Sept. 29. Senior Tate Robertson directs the offensive exploits for the Falcons owning team-high marks in goals (2), assists (5), points (9) and game-winners (1). Junior goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia has recorded 25 saves and one shutout, while maintaining a 1.69 goals against average.

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Bowling Green are meeting for 60th time in program history with the Zips owning a 47-8-4 series advantage. A year ago, the Zips posted a 2-1 overtime triumph over the Falcons on Oct. 21, 2017.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 21, 2017 - AKRON, OHIO)
In a wild and crazy Mid-American Conference men's soccer showdown, a golden goal by senior Ezana Kahsay in the 91st minute (90:26) lifted Akron to a 2-1 overtime triumph past Bowling Green on Oct. 21, 2017 at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.

The contest featured a wild finish as the final three minutes of play, including overtime, were highlighted by a goal for each side along with a trio of cards being issued, including a pair of red cards against the Falcons.

Kahsay netted the game-winning tally only 26 seconds into overtime off a pair of strong passes into the box from Sam Gainford and Nate Shultz.

Bowling Green played the final 2:24 of regulation and overtime two men down after the Falcons were whistled for a pair of red cards resulting from a hard foul near the top of the box on Joao Moutinho in the 88th minute (87:36).

Despite playing a pair of men down, the Falcons garnered the equalizer at the 88:05 mark when a defensive miscue allowed Charlie Maciejwski to the goal off an assist from Alexis Souahy.

The Zips finished the evening registering a 21-7 advantage in shots, including an 11-2 edge on shots on goal.

Moutinho directed Akron's offensive attack with a game-high six shots, while contributing four shots apiece in reserve action was Nick Hinds and Gainford. Bowling Green was led by three strikes from Ebenezer Ackon.

Falcons' goalkeeper Anthony Mwembia was impressive in net for Bowling Green pulling in a game-high eight saves, including five in the second half. Redshirt sophomore Tor Saunders (Seattle, Wash.) made one stop in net for the Zips.

The first half proved to be a defensive battle as neither side was able to find the back of the net, despite Akron owning an 8-3 margin in shots.

Senior Joe Korb (Willowick, Ohio) nearly gave the Zips an early 1-0 lead in the 28th minute (27:38) as only a clearance off the line by Ebenezer Ackon for a team save prevented the shot from finding the back of the net.

The Zips came out attacking to open the second half as Akron recorded six of the first seven shots on the stanza, including a trio of shots on frame by Gainford, all of which were thwarted by Mwembia saves.

The Zips finally capitalized on opportunity in the 78th minute (77:37), when a pair of quick and compact passes from Manuel Cordeiro and Gainford resulted in a for Hinds, a strike from the middle of the box which found the corner of the net.

THE COACHES
Bowling Green: Eric Nichols is in his 10th season as head coach of the Bowling Green program, owning a 71-80-27 (.475) record, while maintaining a 130-102-29 (.554) mark in 14 seasons overall as a head coach.

Akron: In his sixth year on the Akron sidelines as head coach, and 12th season overall, is Jared Embick, who owns a 83-27-12 mark (.730), including 130-47-20 (.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 83-27-12 (.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 193-40-28 (.793), including a 55-4-3 (.911) 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.

HAT TRICK SPARKS SYRACUSE TO 3-1 VICTORY OVER ZIPS
The University of Akron men's soccer team was unable to convert on its scoring opportunities and Syracuse's Jonathan Hagman registered a hat trick to spark the Orange to a 3-1 victory past the Zips at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Monday, Oct. 1.

Hagman toed in a trio of tallies in the 29th (28:27), 52nd (51:08) and 66th (65:08) minutes, respectively, off of defensive deflections from shot attempts by Syracuse within the box.

Akron finished the contest owning a 20-10 advantage in shots, although the Orange posted a 6-5 margin in shots on frame.

Sophomore David Egbo (Enugu, Nigeria) registered a game-high seven shots for the Zips, while redshirt sophomore Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) added five shots. Hagman and Tajon Buchanan led Syracuse with a team-best three shots apiece, while Buchanan also collected a pair of assists.

Freshman Colin Biros (Canton, Ohio) prevented the Zips from being shutout in the affair connecting on his first career goal at the 84:24 mark off an assist from Pacheco.

Egbo nearly netted his team-leading eighth goal of the season in the eighth minute (8:00) as only a clearance off the goal line by John-Austin Ricks for a team save prevented Akron from assuming a 1-0 lead.

Pacheco narrowly missed finding the corner of the net at the 21:44 mark as his strike off a ball played over the defense by Egbo was blocked resulting in a corner kick.

Hagman scored what proved to be the game-winning tally for Syracuse in the 29th minute (28:27) redirecting a shot by Buchanan that was deflected for a save by senior goalkeeper Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany).

Senior Marco Micaletto (Reading, England) nearly netted the equalizer at the 43:49 mark as his strike in the box was denied for a save by Hendrik Hilpert. Micaletto's second-chance opportunity on the deflection went wide to send the Zips into the intermission trailing 1-0.

The Orange posted a 3-2 margin in shots on goal in the opening stanza despite being outshot overall by Akron, 11-4.

Lundt and Hilpert each finished the evening with three saves apiece.

PACHECO EARNS NATIONAL AND LEAGUE ACCOLADES
Diogo Pacheco was honored as the Mid-American Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Week, the league announced on Oct. 2.

Additionally, Pacheco was selected by TopDrawerSoccer.com and College Soccer News to their Men's Soccer National Teams of the Week.

Pacheco turned in a breakout game in the Zips' 4-3 come-from-behind overtime victory at VCU registering his first career hat trick, including netting the golden goal in the 94th minute (93:55).

Playing in only his third collegiate contest, Pacheco garnered the game-winning tally off a pair of assists from Morgan Hackworth and Marcel Zajac. Hackworth headed a ball in the box wide to Zajac, who redirected the ball back into the box to Pacheco, who found the corner of the net.

Trailing 2-1 in the second half, Pacheco netted the equalizer knocking in his third goal of the season on a ball served into the box off a corner kick from Skye Harter at the 67:15 mark.

A mere 10 seconds later at the 67:25 mark, Pacheco struck again giving the Zips a 3-2 lead with his second goal of the evening.

Akron capped the comeback with Pacheco's game-winner at the 93:55 mark on the Zips' lone shot in overtime.

On the season, Pacheco is ranked second on the team in goals (5), points (11) and shots on goal (6) and third in overall shots (12).

ZIPS TIDBITS
• 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 four 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 four shots, including a pair on goal.
• Twenty-four players have seen action for Akron this season, including 13 newcomers.
• Marcel Zajac, David Egbo and Morgan Hackworth have contributed four, three and three assists, respectively, to the Zips' league-high total of 22.
• 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.
• Three different Akron players recorded their first collegiate points donning a Zips' uniform as Diogo Pacheco tallied two goals, while freshman Pol Hernandez (Teia, Spain) and junior Leonard Sohn (Richmond Hill, Ontario) each posted an assist against Canisius.
• Akron's 10 goals, 12 assists and 32 points in its 10-0 victory over Canisius represent NCAA single-game highs across Division I this season.
• As a team, the Zips are rated seventh in the NCAA in assists per game (2.56), 11th in points per contest (7.00), 13th in scoring offense (2.22), 14th in total assists (23), 20th in total points (63) and 24th in total goals (20).
• Individually, David Egbo is ranked ninth in the NCAA in total points (17), 16th in points per game (1.89), 19th in goals per contest (0.78), 21st in total goals (7), 22nd in total points (17) and 41st in game-winning goals (2).
• Ezana Kahsay is Akron's active career leader in goals (9), shots (73), shots on goal (24), games played (65) and game-winning goals (4), while Skye Harter paces the squad in assists (12) and points (26). Ben Lundt has started a team-high 50 games.

OWNING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
The recent successes of the Akron men's soccer program over the past 12 seasons (2007-present) can be attributed to its play in the month of October. Since the start of the 2007 campaign, the Zips own a 69-11-7 (.833) ledger in the month, including a 36-5-3 (.852) mark in matches at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field.

ZIPS EARN NSCAA COLLEGIATE TEAM ACADEMIC RECOGNITION
Akron was one of 192 schools nationwide to have its men's and women's soccer teams recognized by the United Soccer Coaches as a 2017-18 Collegiate Team Academic Award winners.

The Zips were the only school in the Mid-American Conference to have both of their respective soccer programs honored.

Under sixth-year head coach Jared Embick, Akron was recognized for the 11th consecutive year and 12th time overall after registering a cumulative 3.02 grade point average for the 2017-18 academic year.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to East Lansing, Mich., for a showdown with Michigan State on Tuesday, Oct. 9. Game time is set for 7 p.m. with the contest airing on the Big Ten Network.