Zips Come Up Short of Title Aspirations as Maryland Edges Akron, 1-0

Sunday, December 9

Santa Barbara, Calif.

8:00 PM

University of Akron

15-7-2

Maryland

13-6-4

Akron

Maryland

Zips Come Up Short of Title Aspirations as Maryland Edges Akron, 1-0

December 09 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

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BOXSCORE (PDF) | AKRON POST-GAME COMMENTS | MARYLAND POST-GAME COMMENTS | PHOTO GALLERY

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The 2018 University of Akron men's soccer team provided an amazing story of perseverance and determination that will long be remembered not for a 1-0 setback to Maryland in the title match of the College Cup on Sunday, Dec. 9, but for a group of 30 student-athletes that came together as one and lifted each other to the pinnacle of their sport while representing their team and school with dignity and class.

A successful penalty kick by Amar Sejdic in the 57th minute (56:35) proved to be the deciding tally that propelled the Terrapins (13-6-4) to capture the national title with a 1-0 triumph.

The setback snapped a nine-game winning streak for Akron (15-7-2) that began when many outsiders doubted whether a team with a 6-6-2 record following a 2-1 loss at Northern Illinois on Oct. 20 might even make it into the NCAA Tournament, let alone reach the fourth title match in program history.

Refusing to be defined by expectations of others, the Zips came together and moved within one half of capturing the second national title in program history.

Akron was outshot on the evening, 15-10, including 8-2 on net, with junior Marcel Zajac (Mississauga, Ontario) registering a team-high four shots. The Terrapins were paced by a six-shot performance from Sejdic.

Senior goalkeeper Ben Lundt (Berlin, Germany) capped his stellar Akron career making six saves en route to being named the Defensive Most Outstanding Player of the College Cup. Dayne St. Clair earned the clean sheet making a pair of stops for Maryland.

Also named to the All-Tournament team for Akron was senior Abdi Mohamed (Westerville, Ohio) and redshirt junior Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio).

The Terrapins posted the first two shots of the evening, before Zajac recorded a shot on goal at the 17:43 mark that was saved by St. Clair.

The Zips had a nice flurry in the 30th minute as senior Ezana Kahsay (Asmeras, Eritrea) had his strike in the box blocked at the 29:23 mark before freshman Marco Milanese (Isernia, Italy) delivered a left-footed shot that went just wide of frame.

In the 35th minute (34:11), sophomore Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) struck a header off a corner kick by Harter that was pulled in for a save by St. Clair.

Lundt came up with a diving save off a shot by DJ Reeves from just beyond the corner of the six-yard box at the 40:33 mark before Milanese made a timely clearance of the deflection to end the scoring chance by Maryland.

The Zips were credited for a team save in the 53rd minute (52:19) when Strachan headed a ball off the line off a shot by Chase Gasper.

The deciding call in the game came at the 56:35 mark when Akron was whistled for a foul in the box that awarded the first penalty kick of the season in the run of play to the Terrapins. Sejdic stepped to the line and scored what proved to be the game-winning tally.

Zajac got off a strong shot in the box for the Zips in the 60th minute (59:56) that was blocked off a cross from freshman Colin Biros (Canton, Ohio).

Senior Marco Micaletto (Rome, Italy) registered a shot that went wide of net in the 70th minute (69:06) off a well-played ball from sophomore David Egbo (Enugu, Nigeria).

The Zips best scoring opportunity in the second half came in the 74th minute as freshman Pol Hernandez (Teia, Spain) served a ball into the box which Milanese headed off the defender before the redirected deflection for a shot by Egbo was again blocked. The resulting deflection was then headed over the net by Zajac to end the scoring opportunity for Akron.

Less than two minutes later at the 75:38 mark, the Zips again were whistled for a call in the box resulting in a penalty kick for Maryland. Trying a stutter-step move on his penalty shot was Sedjic, whose attempted was thwarted by a brilliant save from Lundt to keep the margin at 1-0.

Lundt again denied the Terrapins with a save at the 76:00 mark off a shot from Andrew Samuels.

The momentum of the contest swung in Maryland's favor in the 81st minute when a pair of cards were booked against the Zips forcing Akron to play the final 10 minutes a man down.

Lundt again came up with a big save at the 82:55 mark off a shot by Reeves.

Freshman Sam Tojaga (Westerville, Ohio) recorded the final shot for the Zips on the evening at the 87:25 mark, a strike that was blocked.

The match marked the final games in the Zips' careers for seniors Morgan Hackworth (Bradenton, Fla.), Kahsay, Joe Korb (Willowick, Ohio), Lundt, Micaletto and Mohamed.

Also contributing to Akron's efforts on the evening was freshman Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.), redshirt sophomore Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) and redshirt freshman Declan Watters (Dublin, Ireland).

Akron will have high hopes for 2019 as the Zips are set to return eight starters from a squad that capped the campaign with a 15-7-2 mark and advanced to the College Cup for the sixth time in program history.