Akron Hosts Western Michigan and Northern Illinois During Kick For The Cure Weekend

Friday, October 18

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

Western Michigan

Akron Hosts Western Michigan and Northern Illinois During Kick For The Cure Weekend

October 17 | Women's Soccer

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Akron vs. Western Michigan Gamenotes (PDF)

Akron (5-8-1, 2-3-1 MAC) vs. Western Michigan (5-7-1, 3-2-1 MAC)
Friday, Oct. 18
Akron, Ohio • FirstEnergy Stadium • 7:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com
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Akron vs. Northern Illinois Gamenotes (PDF)

Akron (5-8-1, 2-3-1) vs. Northern Illinois (2-9-2, 0-5-1 MAC)
Sunday, Oct. 20
Akron, Ohio • FirstEnergy Stadium • 1:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
As the Akron women's soccer team has reached the midway point of the 2019 Mid-American Conference schedule, the Zips commence the final five-game stretch of the regular season as the race for the top-eight teams in the conference is up for grabs. Akron plays host to a pair of conference foes at FirstEnergy Stadium this upcoming weekend as the Zips take on Western Michigan on Friday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m., before squaring off against Northern Illinois on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m.

Scouting the Broncos
Heading into the fourth weekend of league play, Western Michigan finds its self tied for fourth in the MAC standings as the Broncos own a 3-2-1 mark through the first six games of conference play. WMU has seen victories over Ohio (1-0), Central Michigan (1-0), and Miami (2-0) while playing to a draw against Kent State (3-3) and falling to Eastern Michigan (2-3) and Ball State (1-2). In their initial seven non-conference games of the campaign, the Broncos turned in a 2-5-0 ledger.

As an offense, the Broncos have scored 17 goals, registered 121 shots, 61 shots on goal, and has recorded 14 assists. The top offensive scoring threat for Western Michigan, Morgan Otteson, paces the Broncos with 17 points, seven goals, and three assists while taking 25 total shots and 16 shots on goal. Otteson's seven goals and 17 points are atop the MAC rankings. Additionally, six other members of the WMU roster have garnered a goal on the year including Bailey Kornhorn (4) and Grace Labadie (2).

Junior keeper, Maggie Rogers, has seen over 1,000 minutes of work in the net for Western Michigan. In 12 starts, Rogers has turned in a 1.48 goals against average, made 63 saves, allowed just 17 goals, and owns a .788 save percentage. Rogers has posted two shutouts in her five victories (5-5-1) this season.

Scouting the Huskies
Northern Illinois continues to look for its first Mid-American Conference win of the 2019 season heading into week four with a 0-5-1 record in league play and 2-9-2 overall mark. The Huskies travel to Buffalo on Friday, Oct. 18, before their contest with the Zips and are coming off a 1-1 double-overtime draw against Miami.

While seven NIU players have tallied a goal for the Huskies, Julia Neary directs the offensive efforts with two goals on four shots and a game-winning goal. Along with Neary, Haley Hoppe, Nicolette Gossage, Kelsey Chope, Hannah Kroupa, and Madison Kaufmann have found the back of the net.

Goaltending duties have been split for the Huskies by Megan Donnally and Julia Lentz. In nine games, Donnaly has posted a 1-7-1 record, allowed 16 goals, made 72 saves, and owns a 1.72 goals-against average. Lentz, who has competed in five matches, has made 23 saves and allowed 10 goals.

Series History
Historically, Western Michigan has had the Zips numbers as the Broncos own a 12-1-2 ledger against UA. Akron's last win against WMU came in 2003 (2-1) at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Since 2001, Northern Illinois and Akron have competed 18 times on the pitch with the Huskies holding a 9-7-2 advantage over the Zips. Akron is coming off a victory against NIU in 2018 (3-2) and owns a 3-1-1 record in the last five meetings.

Coaches
Western Mich.: Sammy Boateng, was named the interim head coach of the Western Michigan women's soccer program after being hired on as an assistant coach on March 22. Boateng was previously the interim head coach at Boston College

Northern Ill.: Julie Colhoff, is in her second season roaming the sidelines for Northern Illinois. In her short time with the Huskies women's soccer program, Colhoff owns a 4-26-2 record. Prior to NIU, Colhoff was the top assistant at UIC.

Akron: Noreen Herlihy is in her fifth season on the sidelines as the head coach of The University of Akron's women's soccer program. She owns a 25-54-13 record leading the Zips since taking over the program. Since taking over the program in 2015, Herlihy has led Akron to the Mid-American Conference postseason tournament twice and advanced to the semi-final round for the first time in program history in 2015. Herlihy has coached seven All-MAC honorees, 25 student-athletes have been named to the Academic All-MAC team, and her team has been recognized as a Collegiate Team Academic Award winner by United Soccer Coaches for four straight seasons.

Zips Tidbits

The Zips roster consists of seven players from Ohio, eight from Pennsylvania, one from Kentucky, two from Germany, two from England, one from Minnesota, and one from Ireland.
The Zips roster consists of one student-athlete who is a dual-citizen Kat Costa (Germany).
Lexie Kolano competed for The University of Cincinnati in her freshman season before transferring to Akron for a fresh start. Kolano scored one goal in 14 games for UC and four goals in her first season at Akron for a total of five collegiate goals scored.
The Zips return its starting defensive backline from 2018 including senior Ashley Amato (Pittsburgh, Pa.), junior Abigail Brown (Batavia, Ohio), junior Ryley Watt (Irwin, Pa.), and freshman Kayleigh Penton (Vermilion, Ohio). The quartet played a combined 6,774 minutes of action and aided in the Zips five shutouts.
Junior Anya Donelan (Warrington, England) competed at Monroe College for two seasons (2017-18), scored two goals and eight assists in her career. Donelan and Monroe College captured the 2018 National Junior College Athletic Association championship and went undefeated.
The six international student-athletes are the most on an Akron roster in program history.
Lucia Lobato and Aislinn Meaney are the first Irish student-athletes to compete on a Zips women's soccer squad in program history.
Seven Zips made their Akron debuts against Charlotte, including Aislinn Meaney, Vanessa Berlin, Lucia Lobato, Libby Harper, Anya Donelan, Bailee Bowers, and Emily Clopp.
Despite the two results, Akron registered 20 shots in its first two contests including nine shots on goal.
Redshirt sophomore Charley Kale scored her first career goal and the first goal of the season for the Zips against Cleveland State.
Freshman Lucia Lobato earned her first collegiate assist and registered the first assist of the season for the Zips in Akron's match with Cleveland State.
Despite the result, Akron outshot CSU, 15-9, and owned the advantage in corner kicks, 4-1.
Akron picked up its first win of the 2019 campaign against Niagara while also earning its first victory over the Purple Eagles in program history.
Senior Ashley Amato scored a goal in back-to-back contests against Niagara and Morehead State.
Meaney scored her first Akron goal and game-winning score against the Purple Eagles.
Junior Anya Donelan notched her first Akron assist in the Zips lone goal against MSU.
Win #2 came in Youngstown, Ohio as the Zips took down Youngstown State, 1-0.
Freshman Bailee Bowers scored her first career goal and the first career game-winning goal in the Zips win over YSU.
Akron is 3-3 in its last six games and has tallied seven goals by four different players in the four-week span.
Amato scored her third goal and second penalty kick score of the season against Eastern Kentucky.
Since the beginning of the campaign, Amato has jumped to fifth in career goals scored (15) and sixth in career points tallied (30).
UA picked up its third win of the campaign in the 2019 non-conference finale against Robert Morris.
Libby Harper picked up the first solo shutout of her career against the Colonials.
Akron's goal against RMU went down as an own goal, however, the play was set up by Ryley Watt sending a free kick into the box and Carly Pcholinsky heading the ball on goal.
UA picked up three non-conference victories in back-to-back seasons (2018-19) and for the sixth time in program history.
In program history, Akron picked up three wins in a MAC season opener (07, 08, 13) while also playing to one draw (16).
Sophomore's Carly Pcholinsky and Sydney Worthy scored their first goals of the season in the Zips win against Toledo. Worthy notched the seventh score and second game-winning goal of her career, while Pcholinsky notched her fifth career goal.
Worthy recorded her first assist of the 2019 campaign and third of her career.
The Zips registered a win in the opening weekend of league play in back-to-back seasons and for the eighth time in program history.
Worthy registered her second goal and second game-winning tally of the season in the matter of one week against Miami. The Zips forward found the back of the net in the Zips 2-0 win over Toledo and again struck gold for the Akron offense in a 2-0 victory over Miami.
Sophomore Kayleigh Penton scored the first goal of her career to cap the 2-0 W versus Miami.
Libby Harper completed her third clean sheet of the campaign as the Zips keeper blanked the RedHawks and made three saves.
Aislinn Meaney tallied her second goal of the season as the equalizer against the Bobcats. On the play, Kayleigh Penton notched the first assist of her career.
Akron garnered its first draw oft he 2019 campaign against Ohio. In 2018 alone, the Zips played in six overtime matches and went 0-4-2
Freshman goalkeeper Libby Harper's goals-against average (0.95) ranks 88th in the NCAA.
The Zips have registered three multi-goal performances in 2019 with all three resulting in wins; Niagara (2-1), Toledo (2-0), Miami (2-0).
Akron's defense has limited the opposition to one goal or less on nine occasions including five of six Mid-American Conference contests.
Through 14 matches, the Zips and its opponents are all squared in total shots, 140-to-140, overall, while the Zips own the advantage in shots on goal, 63-to-59 on goal.
When ending a match with the advantage in shots, Akron is 3-4.
In the game-winning goal category, Worthy ranks 137th in the NCAA with three.
Meaney now ranks 118th in the country in shots per game (2.93).
The Zips team 1.03 GAA is rated 98th in the nation.
Team Highs: Points, 6 (vs. Miami, vs. Toledo), Goals, 2 (vs. Niagara, vs. Miami, vs. Toledo), Assists, 2 (vs. Miami, vs. Toledo), Shots, 18 (vs. Miami), Shots on Goal, 9 (vs. Miami), Saves, 7 (vs.
Ohio), Corner Kicks 7, (vs. YSU).

Up Next
Akron's last road trip of the regular season awaits the Zips in week five of league play as UA heads to Michigan. Akron is scheduled to take on Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, Mich., on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 4 p.m., before heading to Mount Pleasant, Mich. on Sunday, Oct. 29, to take on the Central Michigan Chippewas.