Akron Women's Soccer Prepares For Ohio and Kent State In Week Three Of MAC Play

Thursday, October 10

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

Akron Women's Soccer Prepares For Ohio and Kent State In Week Three Of MAC Play

October 09 | Women's Soccer

Follow Akron Women's Soccer on Twitter and Facebook

Akron vs. Ohio Gamenotes (PDF)

Akron (5-7-0, 2-2-0 MAC) vs. Ohio (7-5-0, 2-2-0 MAC)
Thursday, Oct. 10
Akron, Ohio • FirstEnergy Stadium • 7:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com
•••
Akron vs. Kent State Gamenotes (PDF)

Akron (5-7-0, 2-2-0) vs. Kent State (4-5-2, 2-1-1 MAC)
Sunday, Oct. 13
Kent, Ohio • Dix Stadium • 1:00 p.m. • Wagon Wheel Challenge
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
Coming up for the Zips in week three of the 2019 Mid-American Conference women's soccer schedule is a pair of top tier league opponents in the Ohio Bobcats and Kent State Golden Flashes. First up, the Zips host the Bobcats at FirstEnergy Stadium for midweek MACtion on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. Akron heads east for a cross-town rivalry showdown on Sunday, Oct. 13, in a rendition of the 2019-20 Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge at Dix Stadium beginning at 1 p.m.

Scouting the Bobcats
As Ohio comes to town, the Bobcats bring with them a 7-5-0 overall record and a 2-2-0 conference mark and six points in the league standings. In the first two weeks of MAC play, Ohio defeated Northern Illinois (2-1) and Toledo (4-0), while falling to Western Michigan (0-1) and Bowling Green (0-1). In their eight-game non-conference slate, the Bobcats opened the 2019 campaign with five straight victories before dropping three straight prior to the start of league play.

As an offense, the Bobcats have scored 24 goals, registered 24 assists, ranks first in the MAC in goals and points, while ranking second in assists and shots (184). The Bobcats 24 scores in 2019 match the season total from 2018 in eight fewer games. Leading the way individually for Ohio is Alivia Milesky who owns team-high five goals to go along with three assists to total 13 points. Maddie Young is tied with Milesky in total points (13) due in large part to her team-leading seven assists and an additional three goals for the Bobcats.

Junior keeper, Sydney Malham, has seen the bulk of the minutes in net for Ohio. In 930 minutes of work, Malham owns a 5-5-0 record, has made 39 saves, allowed 18 goals, and totaled a 1.74 goals-against average.

Scouting the Golden Flashes
Heading into the fourth weekend of conference play with a 4-5-2 overall mark while totaling seven points in the conference standings with a 2-1-1 MAC record. The Golden Flashes opened conference play with a draw to Western Michigan (3-3, 2OT) and a victory against Northern Illinois (1-0). In their last two outings, KSU dropped a 1-3 decision to Bowling Green and defeated Toledo, 3-0.

Kent State has scored 18 goals heading into the weekend while garnering 12 assists, 174 shots, and 76 shots on goal. Vital Kats and Karly Hellstrom direct the offense scoring four goals each and combining five assists. Cameron Shedenhelm leads the Golden Flashes in helpers tallying five to go along with three goals.

Faith O'Neil has started all 11 matches and 1,030 minutes for Kent State in the net. O'Neil has made 41 saves, allowed just 14 goals, registered a 1.22 GAA, and posted a .745 save percentage.

Series History
In 17 previous appearances against Ohio, the Zips stand 4-11-2 in the all-time series. In the last meeting, the Zips and Bobcats played to a scoreless double-overtime draw. Akron last defeated Ohio in 2015, 2-0.

Akron looks to snap an eight-game losing streak to Kent State on Sunday. In the all-time series history, the Zips trail the Golden Flashes, 3-15-0 since 2001.

Coaches
Ohio: Aaron Rodgers, in his seventh season at the helm of the Ohio women's soccer program, has led the Bobcats to a 46-69-12 overall mark. Rodgers and the Bobcats have made two appearances in his tenure in the MAC Postseason Tournament and advanced to the semifinals in 2018.

Kent State: Rob Marinaro, one of the longest-tenured MAC women's soccer head coaches, is in his 19th season on the sidelines for the Golden Flashes. Marinaro has accumulated the fourth-most wins in conference history as Kent State has amassed a 175-139-39 throughout his tenure. Marinaro is a three-time Coach of the Year, led the Golden Flashes to 14 MAC Tournaments, and claimed the program's first league championship in 2016.

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 25-53-12 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.
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 eight occasions including all four Mid-American Conference contests.
Through 12 matches, the Zips have outshot its opponents, 116-to-113, overall and 52-to-43 on goal.
When ending a match with the advantage in shots, Akron is 3-4.
In the game-winning goal category, Worthy ranks 109th in the NCAA with three.
Freshman goalkeeper, Libby Harper's, goals-against average (0.85) ranks 63rd in the NCAA while her four shutouts rank 110th in the nation.
The Zips team 0.97 GAA is rated 80th 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, 5 (vs. Cleveland State), Corner Kicks 7, (vs. YSU).

Up Next
After a trip to Kent State on Oct. 13, the Akron women's soccer team returns to the friendly confines of FirstEnergy Stadium for week four of the 2019 Mid-American Conference season. 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.