Akron Blanks Central Michigan 1-0 And Qualifies For Second Straight MAC Postseason Tournament

Sunday, October 27

Mount Pleasant, MI

1 PM

University of Akron

8-9-1, 5-4-1

Central Michigan

7-4-4, 4-4-2

Team	1	2	Final F
Akron	1	0	1
Central Michigan	0	0	0

Akron Blanks Central Michigan 1-0 And Qualifies For Second Straight MAC Postseason Tournament

October 27 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

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Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.– The Akron women's soccer team inched closer to its second consecutive postseason appearance as freshman Bailee Bowers (Dublin, Ohio) game-winning goal in the 17' of the match was all the Zips needed to defeated Central Michigan, 1-0, and secured a spot in the 2019 Mid-American Conference Tournament on Sunday afternoon.

Akron picked up three more points in the MAC standings bringing its total to 16 at 5-4-1. The Zips five league wins matched the squads total from 2018 and is just the fourth time in program history UA has surpassed five or more conference victories. Overall on the campaign, Akron improved to 8-9-1 and have earned eight W's in consecutive seasons and the second time in program history.

"Delighted for the team. To go on the road and win both is a testament to the character they have shown all season," said head coach Noreen Herlihy."We are still a young team but they have lots of determination and work hard constantly. They have secured qualification again and this young squad is starting to understand what it takes to compete at this level now. It was a total team effort this weekend."

The game-winning tally for Akron came at the 16:20 mark by Bowers, her second score and game-winning goal of the season. Off a goal kick by the Chippewas, the Zips redshirt sophomore Charley Kale (Sylvania, Ohio) earned UA the possession and headed the ball forward to redshirt sophomore Aislinn Meaney (Ennis, Ireland). Meaney pushed the ball forward down the left side of the field and crossed the ball into the middle of the box. Meaney's pass deflected off a CMU defender and was corralled by Bowers who beat the keeper to the right side of the box for the score.

Coupled with Bowers' goal, freshman goalie Libby Harper (Hatifeld, England) recorded her fourth solo shutout of the season and sixth Akron clean sheet of the campaign. In the 90-minute match, Harper made five saves.

Offensively in the contest, the Zips tallied six shots with four coming on frame against the Chippewa defense. Sophomore forward Carly Pcholinsky registered a team-high three shots in the contest while Kale, Meaney, and Bowers all posted one shot in the afternoon.

Pcholinsky nearly handed the Zips a 1-0 advantage in the 6' of play as her second shot of the contest (5:10) was turned away by the CMU keeper. The shot was the first shot on goal for either side in the match.

Akron's forward again pushed the ball forward and attempted the Zips second shot on goal in the 15' of the match but it again was saved by CMU.

In the 38' of the match, Meaney had an opportunity to extend the Zips lead, but for the third time in the first half, the shot on goal was pulled in for a save.

The 2019 Akron women's soccer regular-season finale looms for the Zips as Akron prepares for its 19th match of the season. On Thursday, Oct. 31, the Zips host their travel partner, Buffalo, in front of its home crowd at FirstEnergy Stadium with the first touch schedule for 3 p.m.