Akron Drops 4-3 Overtime Decision at Western Michigan

Thursday, November 4

Kalamazoo, Mich.

3:30 PM

University of Akron

9-5-3, 2-3-1

Western Michigan

7-6-5, 2-3-1

Akron

Western Mich.

Akron Drops 4-3 Overtime Decision at Western Michigan

November 04 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

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

BOXSCORE (PDF)

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – A golden goal in the 96th minute (95:12) from Mike Melaragni propelled Western Michigan (7-6-5, 2-3-1 MAC) to a 4-3 overtime victory past 21st-rated Akron (9-5-3, 2-3-1 MAC) on Thursday, Nov. 4.

The setback thwarted the Zips bid to qualify for the upcoming four-team Mid-American Conference Men's Soccer Tournament to be held in DeKalb, Ill., Nov. 11-14. Akron must now await the NCAA Tournament selection show on Nov. 15 to see if their 2021 resume, one that includes a pair of wins over top-30 NCAA RPI squads, warrants an at-large selection to the 48-team field.

The Zips are 2-1-2 versus the top-30 of the NCAA RPI, including victories versus No. 4 Pitt, the winner of the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division, and Penn State, who captured the regular season title in the Big Ten Conference.

The Broncos assumed an early 1-0 lead on a successful penalty kick from Caden Jackman at the 8:18 mark.

Junior Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.) leveled the contest at one in the 25th minute (24:36) finding the corner of the net off an assist from freshman Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah).

Western Michigan regained the advantage at the 31:20 mark when Charlie Sharp found the back of the net courtesy of an assist from Dylan Sing.

Senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) scored the first of two goals on the afternoon with a tally in the 44th minute (43:13) to send the Zips into the intermission tied at two. Freshman Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) registered the assist on the goal.

Western Michigan regained the lead at the 65:35 mark on a tally from Sing.

Just over a minute later, Pacheco recorded his third career multi-goal game with his team-leading seventh tally of the year in the 67th minute (66:51). Freshman Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) earned the assist on the score.

Akron posted an 8-6 advantage in shots on goal in the match, while the Broncos won the overall shot count, 11-10. Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal led the Zips' efforts with a game-high four shots.