Akron Encounters Michigan in Non-Conference Tilt

Follow Zips Men's Soccer on Twitter (@ZipsMSOC) and Facebook

Akron (7-3-2) vs. Michigan (6-5-2)
Monday, Oct. 18
FirstEnergy Stadium
Akron, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 11-4-0
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron men's soccer team welcomes Michigan to FirstEnergy Stadium for a non-conference showdown on Monday, Oct. 18. The 7 p.m. tilt with the Wolverines will be broadcast on ESPN+ with David Bacon calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Michigan: Chaka Daley (Providence, 1996), Overall Record: 174-179-57 (22nd Season)/UM Record: 90-111-27 (10th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 158-68-27 (15th Season)/Akron Record: 111-47-19 (Ninth Season)

SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Michigan enters action this Monday with a 6-5-2 ledger following a 1-0 victory past Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 15. The Wolverines are 3-1-1 in their last five contests, including wins over Indiana, Northwestern and Wisconsin.

Michigan is led offensively by senior Kevin Buca, who owns team-high marks in goals (4) and points (9), while senior Marc Ybarra and junior Evan Rasmussen have recorded team-best totals in shots (17). Freshman goalkeeper Hayden Evans has recorded 38 saves en route to posting a 1.16 goals against average as part of one shutout.

As a team, the Wolverines are ranked 20th in the NCAA in corner kicks (6.69).

SERIES HISTORY
Monday evening's game is the 15th meeting between Akron and Michigan. The Zips own a 11-4-0 series advantage. The two teams last met in the regular season on Oct. 14, 2014 when Akron earned a 3-0 triumph at FirstEnergy Stadium.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 14, 2014 - AKRON, OHIO)
Akron earned a 3-0 shutout over Michigan at FirstEnergy Stadium on Oct. 14, 2014

Stuart Holthusen put the Zips on the scoreboard early after Saad Abdul-Salaam fed him the ball from the left wing in the sixth minute.

Adam Najem added a penalty kick to put Akron up 2-0 in the 15th minute.

In the 23rd minute, Richie Laryea almost made it 3-0 with a huge shot, but it was stopped by Michigan goalie Evan Louro.

With less than two minutes to go, Anthony Macchione scored the first goal of his career to cap the shutout.

Overall, both teams had 12 shots. The Zips had seven shots on goal, compared to Michigan's two.

Goalkeeper Jake Fenlason recorded two saves in his 90 minutes of action for the Zips.

ZIPS VERSUS THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Big Ten Conference for the fifth time this season and 194th time overall. Akron bested Michigan State, 2-1, on Aug. 30 in East Lansing, Mich., before battling No. 3 Indiana to a 1-1 double-overtime draw on Sept. 10, falling 1-0 at Ohio State on Sept. 15 and besting Penn State, 2-1, on Oct. 13.
• Akron owns a 106-69-18 (.596) all-time record versus the current 14 members of the Big Ten Conference.
• The Zips have gone 24-6-5 against the league since 2012.
• In all, Akron is 41-11-8 (.750) versus teams from the Big Ten since 2007. During that time, the Zips have out-scored the competition, 114-50.

ZIPS REGISTER 2-1 TRIUMPH OVER PENN STATE
Akron parlayed a pair of first-half goals into a 2-1 triumph over Penn State in a non-conference showdown at FirstEnergy Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

Sophomore Ryan Kingsford (Herne Bay, England) garnered his third goal of the season at the 15:01 mark of the initial stanza off assists from sophomore Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.), his team-leading sixth of the campaign, and freshman Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) to give Akron (7-3-2) a lead it didn't relinquish.

Freshman Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) scored what proved to be the game-winning tally in the 20th minute (19:40) courtesy of assists from senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) and Kingsford.

The Zips finished the tilt posting a 15-6 overall edge in shots, including a 5-3 margin in shots on goal.

Kingsford directed the Zips' offensive efforts with a career- and game-high five shots, while Clapier and Pacheco added four and two strikes, respectively.

The Nittany Lions spoiled the shutout bid with a goal from Dax Hoffman at the 82:34 mark, but senior GK Will Meyer (Solon, Ohio) finished the affair making a pair of saves for Akron.

ZIPS TIDBITS
• Five of the 10 matches between Akron and Michigan with head coach Jared Embick on the Zips' sideline have resulted in a shutout, with Akron owning a 3-2-0 mark in those contests.
• The Zips have outscored Michigan, 18-3 all-time in eight home games against the Wolverines and own a 8-0-0 mark in those contests.
• Three of the last five regular season games Akron has played Michigan have resulted in a shutout, with the Zips outscoring the Wolverines in those contests by a 8-3 margin.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in seven all-time meetings with the Wolverines.
• Senior Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) cracked the top-10 in games played at Akron against Georgia Southern and has now appeared in 86 career contests during his decorated Zips' career. He is tied with former Akron standouts David Wells (1986-89), Evan Bush (2005-08) and Ben Zemanski (2006-09) for sixth on the all-time list.
• Diogo Pacheco has now scored a point in eight of Akron's 12 games this season.
• Eleven different Zips have scored a goal this season.
• Daniel Strachan is rated second among all players in men's Division I in games played having appeared in 86 games.
• Nineteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including nine newcomers.
• Akron ranks 12th in the NCAA in corner kicks (6.92), while rating 17th in total assists (28), 21st in assists per game (2.33), 35th in total points (70), 37th in goals against average (.884), 38th in goal differential (10), 40th in points per contest (5.83), 43rd in winning percentage (.667) and 47th in shots per game (14.25).
• Will Meyer is ranked 24th in the NCAA in minutes played (1,120:00), 31st in shutouts (4), 36th in goals against average (.884) and while Johnny Fitzgerald is rated 24th in total assists (6) and 31st in assists per game (0.50).
• The Zips are 1-1-2 versus ranked teams this season having best No. 3 Pitt, 2-1, on Sept. 6, garnering a 1-1 double-overtime draw with No. 3 Indiana on Sept. 10, dropping a 2-0 decision at No. 5 Marshall on Sept. 21 and battling No. 3 West Virginia to a 0-0 double-overtime draw on Sept. 30.

AKRON FRESHMEN QUARTET EARNS TDS TOP-100 ACCOLADES
University of Akron men's soccer freshmen Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany), Dyson Clapier, Malik Henry and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) were named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Midseason Top-100 Freshmen men's soccer squad.

Buechte, Clapier, Henry and Wan Kamal were tabbed No. 17, No. 27, No. 54 and No. 80, respectively.

Akron equaled an NCAA-best four selections to share top honors with SMU and UCLA.

Buechte has started all 12 games for the Zips this season and has helped anchor and Akron defensive unit that has registered four shutouts.

Having started 11 of the Zips' 12 contests this fall, Clapier leads the squad in game-winners (2), while ranking second on the team in goals (4), points (10), shots (24) and shots on goal (11).

Henry is rated third on the squad in assists (4), having started 11 of Akron's 12 contests this season, while helping the Zips' defensive efforts to four shutouts.

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal has started six of Akron's 12 games on the campaign en route to recording a pair of goals and two assists on the strength of 11 shots, including seven on goal.

UP NEXT
Akron welcomes Bowling Green to FirstEnergy Stadium for a Senior Night tilt on Friday, Oct. 22.

Akron Encounters Michigan in Non-Conference Tilt

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jonas Buechte

Dyson Clapier

Johnny Fitzgerald

Malik Henry

Ryan Kingsford

Will Meyer

Diogo Pacheco

Daniel Strachan

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal

The University of Akron Athletics