Akron Set for MAC Showdown with Georgia State

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No. 13 Akron (6-2-2, 1-0-1 MAC) vs. Georgia State (7-3-0, 0-1-0 MAC)
Saturday, Oct. 9
FirstEnergy Stadium
Akron, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: First Meeting
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Live Stats: www.GoZips.com

WHAT'S AHEAD
The 13th-rated University of Akron men's soccer team returns to the pitch on Saturday, Oct. 9 as the Zips welcome Mid-American Conference newcomer Georgia State to FirstEnergy Stadium. The 7 p.m. showdown with the Panthers will be broadcast on ESPN3 with David Bacon calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Georgia State: Brett Surrency (Jacksonville, 2004), Overall Record: 117-84-16 (12th Season)/GSU Record: 117-84-16 (12th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 157-67-27 (15th Season)/Akron Record: 110-46-19 (Ninth Season)

SCOUTING GEORGIA STATE
Georgia State enters action this Saturday with a 7-3-0 ledger after seeing its four-match winning streak snapped following a 3-2 setback at Bowling Green on Thursday, Oct. 7.

The Panthers are led offensively by freshman Ethan Sassine, who owns team-high marks in goals (4), points (8) and game-winners (2), while senior Matthew Fearnley boasts team-best totals in shots (22) and shots on goal (10). Junior goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg has recorded 30 saves en route to posting a 1.28 goals against average as part of three shutouts.

As a team, Georgia State is ranked 25th in the NCAA in total goals (22), 28th in scoring offense (2.20), 34th in total points (60), 35th in points per game (6.00), 39th in winning percentage (.700), 40th in goal differential (9) and 42nd in corner kicks (6.10).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Georgia State are meeting for the first time in program history.

ZIPS REGISTER 2-0 TRIUMPH OVER GEORGIA SOUTHERN
The 13th-rated University of Akron men's soccer team scored a goal in each half en route to notching a 2-0 triumph past Georgia Southern on Thursday, Oct. 7 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Zips posted a 21-6 advantage in shots on the evening, including a 7-2 edge in shots on goal.

Senior Samuel George (Dagenham, England) recorded his first career tally at Akron in the 62nd minute (61:11) and finished the contest turning in a game-, team- and career-high four shots. Sophomore Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.) picked up his team-leading fifth assist of the year on the goal, while freshman Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) also earned an assist.

Senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) netted his team-leading fourth goal of the season on what proved to be the game-winning tally with a successful free kick from 23 yards out at the 27:34 mark. He joined freshman Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) with three shots apiece. The Eagles were directed by a pair of two-shot performances from Mauro Solis-Guitierrez and Jeremiah Luoma.

Senior goalkeeper Will Meyer (Solon, Ohio) turned in his third consecutive and fourth overall shutout on the campaign making a pair of saves en route to the triumph.

The showdown with Georgia Southern marked the 175th career game leading the Zips for head coach Jared Embick, while also representing the 250th career contest in his decorated coaching career.

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (as of games on Oct. 7) (.756), with an overall record of 220-59-35. The Zips are followed by Maryland, 207-65-43 (.725), Wake Forest, 200-64-38 (.725), North Carolina, 199-68-45 (.710) and Creighton, 193-78-29 (.692). Akron made 12 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2007-18), earning a first-round bye in eight seasons. The Zips have advanced to the NCAA's Round of 16 in eight of the last 13 years. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 33 times, including 17 of the past 20 seasons.

ZIPS TIDBITS
• Senior Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) cracked the top-10 in games played at Akron against Georgia Southern having appeared in 84 career contests during his decorated Zips' career. He is tied with former Akron standout Andrew Souders (2012-15) for 10th on the all-time list.
• Will Meyer has posted three consecutive and four overall shutouts in goal for the Zips. He has now held Akron's opponents without a goal for a run of more than 340 minutes (340:04).
• Thursday's contest versus Georgia Southern represented the 250th career game in the coaching career of head coach Jared Embick and 175th on the Akron sidelines as head coach.
• Diogo Pacheco has now scored a point in six of Akron's 10 games this season.
• The Zips set season-high marks in goals (7), assists (8), points (22) and shots on goal in a 7-1 win over Wright State on Aug. 26, while establishing top marks in shots (24) and corner kicks (18) in a 3-0 triumph past Robert Morris on Sept. 3.
• Eleven different Zips have scored a goal this season.
• With tallies against Wright State and Michigan State freshman Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) became the first Zip to score goals in back-to-back games since Diogo Pacheco did so last season at Kentucky and versus Marshall.
• Diogo Pacheco's along with Dyson Clapier and Johnny Fitzgerald have registered multiple assists in a game for Akron this season.
• Led by a two-goal effort from Ryan Kingsford, three Akron newcomers scored goals in the Zips' 7-1 win over Wright State on Aug. 26. Joining Kingsford was Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Renato Kauzlaric.
• Dyson Clapier and Johnny Fitzgerald each registered a pair of assists for Akron against Wright State.
• Garnering their first collegiate points in the Zips' 7-1 victory over Wright State on Aug. 26 was Renato Kauzlaric (one goal and two assists), Ryan Kingsford (two goals), redshirt sophomore Ivan Nikolic (Toronto, Ontario) (one goal) and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (one goal and one assist).
• Daniel Strachan is rated third among all players in men's Division I in games played having appeared in 84 games.
• Nineteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including nine newcomers.
• Akron ranks 19th in the NCAA in corner kicks (6.70), while rating 21st in goals against average (.670) and save percentage (.811), 24th in total assists (23), 25th in assists per game (2.30), 29th in goal differential (11), 38th in total points (59), 39th in winning percentage (.700), 40th in points per contest (5.90), 43rd in shots per game (14.30) and shutout percentage (.400) and 49th in total goals (18)
• Will Meyer is ranked 22nd in the NCAA in goals against average (.670), 24th in shutouts (4) and 27th in save percentage (.800) and 42nd in minutes played (940:00).
• 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.
• Since 2010, the Zips are 25-4-1 at FirstEnergy Stadium in regular season conference games. Overall during that span, including postseason, Akron boasts a 40-6-2 mark versus league foes at home.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 28-18-5 mark against ranked opponents.
• Diogo Pacheco is Akron's active career leaders in goals (14), points (36), shots (93) and shots on goal (39). Will Jackson and Pacheco paces the team in game-winning goals (3), while Daniel Strachan has appeared in a team-high 84 games.
• The Zips own a 110-46-19 mark over the last nine seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 110 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 77 of the squad's last 138 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 27 of its last 53 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 66-11-7 record in its last 84 home matches.

UP NEXT
Akron continues its homestand hosting Penn State in a 7 p.m. tilt on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jonas Buechte

Dyson Clapier

Johnny Fitzgerald

Samuel George

Malik Henry

Will Jackson

Renato Kauzlaric

Ryan Kingsford

Will Meyer

Ivan Nikolic

Diogo Pacheco

Daniel Strachan

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal

The University of Akron Athletics