Destination Omaha as No. 9 Akron Faces Road Test at Creighton

Friday, September 6

Omaha, Neb.

8:30 PM

University of Akron

Creighton

Destination Omaha as No. 9 Akron Faces Road Test at Creighton

September 05 | Men's Soccer

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MATCH NO. 3 - AKRON AT CREIGHTON GAME NOTES (9/6)

Akron (0-2-0) at Creighton (0-1-0)
Friday, Sept. 6
Morrison Stadium (6,000)
Omaha, Neb. • 8:30 p.m. ET

Series History: Akron leads 3-0-2
Live Stats: www.gozips.com
Live Stream: www.gozips.com
Television: www.gozips.com

MATCH PREVIEW WITH HEAD COACH JARED EMBICK

WHAT'S AHEAD

The ninth-rated University of Akron men's soccer team opens a four-match road swing this Friday, Sept. 6, as the Zips travel to Omaha, Neb., for an 8:30 p.m. ET showdown at Creighton. The contest will be broadcast on Bluejays TV with a link on GoZips.com.

AKRON VERSUS THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Big East Conference for the second time this season and the 36th time in program history.
• In its last meeting with a school from the Big East Conference, Akron dropped a 2-0 decision at Xavier on Aug. 30.
• In all, Akron is 21-4-10 (.758) versus teams from the Big East Conference (Butler - 0-0-1; Creighton - 3-0-2; Georgetown - 2-0-1; Marquette - 8-1-4; Seton Hall - 1-0-0; St. John's - 0-2-2; Villanova - 1-0-0; Xavier - 6-1-0).

SCOUTING CREIGHTON
On the heels of a challenging opening weekend which saw Creighton face road tests at No. 4 Wake Forest and No. 6 North Carolina, the Bluejays open their home campaign welcoming Akron to Morrison Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6. Senior Yudai Tashiro paces Creighton in goals (1), points (2), shots (4) and shots on goal (1), while redshirt freshman Dominic Briggs accounts for the Bluejays' other goal on the year. Sophomore goalkeeper Paul Kruse has made 10 stops between the pipes for Creighton and maintains a 1.35 goals against average.

SERIES HISTORY
Friday evening's game is the sixth meeting between Akron and Creighton. The Zips lead the all-time series, 3-0-2. In the last encounter, Akron registered a 1-0 triumph over the then No. 8 Bluejays on Oct. 16, 2018 at FirstEnergy Stadium. That encounter was the first since a 3-2 double-overtime victory by the Zips in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals on Dec. 5, 2015 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The two squads had tied its previous two matches, both occurring during the 2012 campaign. Additionally, the Zips garnered a 1-0 home triumph over Creighton Oct. 27, 2010.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 16, 2018 - AKRON, OHIO)
University of Akron men's soccer team parlayed a staunch defensive effort along with a goal from Morgan Hackworth in the 49th minute (48:49) into a 1-0 victory over No. 8 Creighton on Oct. 16, 2018 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The defensive performances of the Zips' backline of Abdi Mohamed, junior Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) and sophomores Pol Hernandez (Teia, Spain) and Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.) along with redshirt junior goalkeeper Tor Saunders (Seattle, Wash.) limited Creighton, who came into the contest ranked fourth in the NCAA at 17.50 shots per game, to 10 shots en route to collecting the shutout.

Akron registered a 14-10 advantage in shots on the evening, including a 6-3 edge on goal to secure the win.

Ezana Kahsay paced all players with a game-high four shots for the Zips, while Ritaccio and Marcel Zajac added two strikes apiece. Sven Koenig led the Bluejays with a game-high four shots, including three on frame.

Saunders made three saves for Akron in net en route to earning the clean-sheet triumph. Paul Kruse registered five stops for Creighton.

The Bluejays maintained the early pace of play in the tilt recording the initial four shots of the evening, including a save off of Koenig's shot at the 6:48 mark by Saunders.

In the 21st minute (20:37) senior Skye Harter (Copley) played a beautiful ball into the box to a surging Kahsay for a 1v1 opportunity. Unfortunately for Akron, Kahsay's shot went wide of target.

In the 29th minute, Mohamed served a ball into the box to Strachan off a corner kick, one that he headed on frame before the shot attempt was punched out for a save by Kruse. The ensuing deflection swung to Ritaccio, who attempted a strike from three yards out that was blocked by the Creighton defender to thwart the scoring chance.

The two sides entered the intermission locked in a scoreless draw with the Zips owning an 8-5 margin in shots.

Akron finally broke through in the 49th minute (48:49) when Hackworth headed home a pass from the corner of the box by Zajac for the goal and his first game-winning tally as a Zip.

Kahsay nearly found the back of the net at the 54:58 mark as his shot in the box off a pass from Ritaccio was blocked.

Less than three minutes later in the 58th minute (57:18), Harter played a ball into Zajac in the box, who got off a shot that was denied by a save from Kruse.

Braden Petno and redshirt junior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) each registered shots on goal at the 58:47 and 65:34 marks, respectively, for the Zips that were stopped by saves from Kruse.

Saunders completed the shutout recording saves off the foot of Koenig at the 71:43 and 86:29 marks, respectively.

THE COACHES
Creighton: Johnny Torres is in his first season as head coach of the Creighton program, owning a 0-1-1 (.250) record.
Akron: In his seventh year on the Akron sidelines as head coach, and 13th season overall, is Jared Embick, who owns a 94-32-13 mark (.723), including 141-53-21 (.705) overall, in his 11th year as a head coach.

AKRON HEAD COACH JARED EMBICK
Jared Embick, who had previously served as the Zips' associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, officially became the seventh head coach in the history of The University of Akron men's soccer program in December of 2012.

The 2019 campaign marks his seventh year leading the Zips having registered a 94-32-13 (.723) ledger after posting an 15-7-2 record en route to earning the program's second consecutive and sixth overall College Cup berth in 2018. Akron's 94 victories since Embick took the helm of the Zips' program in 2013 rank second among all men's soccer programs in Division I.

During Embick's time at Akron, the Zips have posted the highest winning percentage in the nation with an overall record of 204-45-29 (.786), including a 56-6-4 (.879) mark in Mid-American Conference play, while securing 11 conference tournament titles, 12 trips to the NCAA Tournament and three appearances in the College Cup final.

LATE GOAL LIFTS STANFORD PAST ZIPS, 2-1
A goal in the 89th minute (88:50) from Zach Ryan lifted third-rated Stanford to a 2-1 men's soccer victory over No. 2 Akron before 3,617 fans at FirstEnergy Stadium on Monday evening, Sept. 2.

Despite being outshot by a 19-12 margin in shots, the Zips recorded an 8-4 edge in shots on goal on the evening. Junior David Egbo (Enugu, Nigeria) directed all players with a game-high five shots, including four on frame, while freshman Will Jackson (Hudson, Ohio) added three shots for Akron.

Tor Saunders registered a pair of saves for the Zips, while Andrew Thomas made six stops for Stanford.

The game-winning tally was set-up by an assist from Jared Gilbey, who flicked a ball into the box to Ryan, who headed it home for his first goal of the season at the 88:50 mark.

The Zips were whistled for a handball in the box at the 12:25 mark that enabled Tanner Beason to deliver a successful penalty to give Stanford the early 1-0 lead.

Sophomore Marco Milanese (Isernia, Italy) got off a shot for Akron in the 17th minute (16:49), one that was denied by a save from Thomas.

Egbo followed unleashing a laser from 30 yards out at the 23:38 mark that was thwarted by a diving save from Thomas.

Skye Harter recorded a shot on goal in the 33rd minute (32:29), before Jackson followed with a strike at the 36:47 mark, both of which were pushed away thanks to saves from Thomas.

Akron entered the intermission trailing Stanford, 1-0, despite owning an 8-6 edge in shots, including a 5-1 margin on goal.

Forty-three seconds into the second half at the 45:43 mark, Egbo netted the equalizer for the Zips, converting his first goal of the season. Earning assists on the play with a pair of strong passes was Jackson and freshman Henrique Cruz (Fortaleza, Brazil).

Saunders notched saves in the 49th (48:43) 64th (63:43) minutes, respectively, including one from three yards out, off of shots from Panchot.

Egbo nearly gave the Zips a 2-1 lead at the 70:39 mark getting behind Thomas on a 1v1 opportunity and unleashing a shot across his body that only a team save from Keegan Hughes prevented him from recording his fourth career multi-goal affair.

ZIPS TIDBITS
• Five Akron newcomers have garnered a start in the Zips' initial two contests this season. Will Jackson has recorded a pair of starts, while owning one start each is senior Tom Smart (Birmingham, England), freshmen Mani Austmann (Gardabaer, Iceland), Bradley Chick (Melbourne, Australia) and Henrique Cruz.
• Four different Zips in seniors Christian Lue Young (Plantation, Fla.) and Tom Smart and Mani Austmann and Will Jackson earned their first-ever Akron starts versus Xavier.
• Four additional newcomers in sophomore Federico Serra (Cagliari, Italy) and freshmen Bradley Chick, Henrique Cruz and Jaden Wright (Lorain, Ohio) made their Zips' debuts against Xavier.
• Only once in program history (2001) has Akron ever opened without a victory in the Zips' first three games of a season. In 2001, Akron began the campaign with a 3-3 double-overtime draw at Connecticut before falling by identical 2-1 counts against Fairleigh Dickinson and Louisville. Additionally, the Zips have not dropped three straight contests since the 2001 campaign.
• Eleven different Zips have registered a shot this season, including four newcomers.
• Since joining the Mid-American Conference in 1993, the Zips have responded with a double-digit victory campaign after recording a tie or setback in their season opener seven times, including in each of the last two years, both of which ended with College Cup appearances.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to College Park, Md., for a national title rematch versus Maryland on Friday, Sept. 13. The showdown with the Terrapins will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.