No. 5 Akron Begins Postseason Run At No. 4 Buffalo

Sunday, November 3

Buffalo, NY

1 PM

University of Akron

Buffalo

No. 5 Akron Begins Postseason Run At No. 4 Buffalo

November 02 | Women's Soccer

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Akron vs. Buffalo Gamenotes (PDF)
2019 MAC Tournament Bracket

No. 5 Akron (8-9-2, 5-4-2 MAC) vs. No. 4 Buffalo (8-7-2, 5-4-2 MAC)
Sunday, Nov. 3
Buffalo, N.Y. • UB Stadium • 1:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
The Akron women's soccer team has its sights set on the 2019 Mid-American Conference Tournament after qualifying for the postseason for the second consecutive season. No. 5 Akron travels to No. 4 Buffalo for a quarterfinal match-up and a rematch of the regular-season finale on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m. inside UB Stadium.

Scouting the Bulls
Heading into its first-round match with the Zips, Buffalo earned its No. 4 seed by way of a 5-4-2 conference record and 8-7-2 overall mark. After starting the MAC campaign 1-3 through four games, the Bulls ran off four straight victories over Kent State (3-2), Ohio (2-0), Northern Illinois (5-0), and Western Michigan (2-1, OT). In the final three matches, UB went 1-1-1 playing to a scoreless double OT draw with Central Michigan, falling to Eastern Michigan (1-2), and ending in a 1-1 double OT draw against the Zips.

As an offense, the Bulls have scored 30 goals, registered 268 shots, 137 shots on goal, and has recorded 28 assists. In the MAC, the UB offense ranks fourth in goals, assists, and points (88) while in the NCAA, the Bulls rank 35th in shots on goal per game (7.61). Individually, 14 different Buffalo players have found the back of the net with Marcy Baberic pacing the pack in a team-high five goals to go along with three assists for a total of 13 points.

Emily Kelly, the Bulls sophomore goaltender, has seen a bulk of the minutes inside the net for Buffalo. In 18 starts and 1,670 minutes, Kelly owns a 1.02 goals-against average having allowed just 19 goals and making 76 saves.

Series History
Akron owns a winning record overall against Buffalo (9-7-2) as the two sides prepare for the 19th meeting between the two programs. When playing at Buffalo, Ohio, the Zips have tallied a 6-4-0 mark. Akron has gone unbeaten in the previous two contests with the Bulls defeating UB, 3-2, a year ago and this season's 1-1 draw. From 2003-2012, UA owned a 7-3-1 ledger over UB.

Postseason History
Akron is making its sixth appearance in the Mid-American Conference postseason tournament (2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019), its second consecutive trip to the postseason, and the third time in the past five seasons. The Zips have advanced to the semifinals round once in program history after playing to a 1-1 draw against Ball State and defeating the Cardinals, 4-3, in penalty kicks. UA and UB have never met in the postseason.

Coaches
Buffalo: Shawn Burke, is in his sixth season on the sidelines as head coach of the Buffalo women's soccer team. Since taking over the Bulls program, Burke has led UB to five straight Tournament appearances, three 10+win campaigns, and captured Buffalo's first-ever MAC Championship in 2014.

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 28-55-14 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 two student-athletes who is a dual-citizen Kat Costa (Germany) and Lucia Lobato (Ireland).
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.
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 of the 2019 campaign against Ohio. In 2018 alone, the Zips played in six overtime matches and went 0-4-2
Akron recorded a season-high three goals in its match against NIU.
Carly Pcholinsky registered her second-career multi-goal performance.
For the second time this season, Pcholinsky and Worthy posted a goal in the same match.
Pcholinsky's score in the 11' was the second-fastest goal scored of the 2019 campaign for UA behind the Zips goal in the 4' against Morehead State.
The Zips earned their sixth win of the campaign against NIU while picking up its third conference victory.
The Zips have registered five multi-goal performances in 2019 with all five resulting in wins; Niagara (2-1), Toledo (2-0), Miami (2-0), NIU (3-0), EMU (3-2).
Akron's defense has limited the opposition to one goal or less on 11 occasions including seven of 10 Mid-American Conference contests.
Through 18 matches, the Zips have edged its 2019 opponents in total shots, 190-to-183, overall, while the Zips own the advantage in shots on goal, 83-to-76 on goal.
When ending a match with the advantage in shots, Akron is 4-5.
Meaney now ranks 117th in the country in shots per game (3.06).
Freshman goalkeeper Libby Harper's goals-against average (0.98) ranks 102nd in the NCAA and her total minutes (1,376:55) are rated 125th in the nation.
The Zips team 1.02 GAA is rated 94th in the nation.
Since the beginning of the campaign, Ashley Amato has jumped to tied for second in career goals scored (17) and fifth overall in career points tallied (34).
Dating back to 2012, Ashley Amato has scored the most goals off a penalty kick in a single-season (3). ]
Libby Harper's nine saves in the season-finale against Buffalo were a career-best
Team Highs: Points, 8 (vs. Northern Ill.), Goals, 3 (vs. Northern Ill., vs. Eastern Mich.), Assists, 2 (vs. Northern Ill., vs. Miami, vs. Toledo), Shots, 18 (vs. Miami), Shots on Goal, 9 (vs. Miami), Saves, 9 (vs. Buffalo), Corner Kicks 7, (vs. YSU).
Individual Highs: Points, 4 (Pcholinsky 2X), Goals, 2 (Pcholinsky 2X), Assists 1, (Clere, Donelan, Penton, Lobato, Pcholinsky, Worthy), Shots, 8 (Meaney), Shots on goal, 4 (Meaney), Saves, 9 (Harper).

All-Time MACtion
When Akron stepped on to the pitch against Bowling Green, the Zips commenced its 19th season competing inside the Mid-American Conference. Akron captured a MAC East Division title in 2009, competed in five MAC postseason tournaments, made one semi-finals appearance, and registered a 54-133-26 overall record during league play.

Up Next
In the case of an Akron victory, the Zips would move on to the semifinal round of the 2019 Mid-American Conference Tournament. Akron would face the winner of No. 1 Bowling Green and No. 8 Central Michigan. The location of the semifinal round will be hosted by the highest remaining seed of the tournament following the conclusion of the quarterfinals.