Zajac Leads Zips’ Trio Earning National Team of the Week Accolades

Colin Biros-Marcel Zajac-Ezana Kahsay 12-4

Zajac Leads Zips’ Trio Earning National Team of the Week Accolades

December 04 | Men's Soccer

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TOPDRAWERSOCCER.COM TEAM OF THE WEEK RELEASE

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron men's soccer junior Marcel Zajac (Mississauga, Ontario) was honored for his efforts leading the Zips to a 3-2 victory over three-time defending NCAA Champion Stanford in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament as TopDrawerSoccer.com named him as their National Men's Soccer Player of the Week.

Additionally, senior Ezana Kahsay (Asmeras, Eritrea) and freshman Colin Biros (Canton, Ohio) joined Zajac as members of the TopDrawerSoccer.com National Men's Soccer Team of the Week.

Zajac helped the Zips edge Stanford, 3-2, on Nov. 30, garnering a two-goal performance against the Cardinal, while also earning an assist on the game-winning goal by Biros. He netted a goal on each of his two shots in the affair and has now scored a point in eight consecutive matches for Akron, and in 10 of the last 11 tilts for the Zips overall.

Zajac gave Akron an early 1-0 lead scoring a tally at the 14:09 mark off an assist from freshman Marco Milanese (Isernia, Italy). Zajac flashed a burst of speed strolling inside the corner of the 18-yard box where he struck a ball which hit the far post before bouncing back off the other post and into the net for his ninth goal of the season.

It was the first postseason goal Stanford had allowed since Dec. 5, 2015 at Wake Forest and ended the program's NCAA-record tournament shutout streak at 1,428:09.

Zajac extended Akron's lead to 2-0 collecting his third career multi-goal performance and second of the postseason connecting on a tally in the 44th minute (43:01) off assists from Kahsay and freshman Sam Tojaga (Erie, Pa.).

On the season, Zajac has recorded a team-best eight assists, while also recording 10 goals, 28 points on 36 shots, including 20 on goal.

Biros garnered the game-winning goal against the Cardinal in the 81st minute (80:08) off assists from Zajac and senior Marco Micaletto (Rome, Italy) and he finished the game registering a game-high three shots.

The first career game-winner for Biros came off a cross served from the corner of the box by Micaletto to the far post where Zajac headed ball back towards a surging Biros, who had a header of his own for his third goal on the campaign.

On the season, Biros owns three goals and a trio of assists on 23 shots, including six on goal.

Kahsay provided key minutes for Akron off the bench and recorded an assist on Zajac's second goal of the evening, while playing strong defense to deny scoring chances by Stanford.

Zajac, Kahsay and Biros and the second-ranked Zips (14-6-2) return to action on Friday, Dec. 7, traveling to Santa Barbara, Calif., to battle fourth-rated Michigan State (14-4-4) in the semifinal round of the NCAA College Cup in a 8 p.m. ET match.