Akron Hosts No. 9 Marshall in Top-10 Clash

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

GAME NO. 2 - AKRON VS. MARSHALL NOTES (3/2)

No. 7 Akron (0-0-1) vs. No. 9 Marshall (3-1-0)
Tuesday, March 2
FirstEnergy Stadium
Akron, Ohio • 4 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 7-2-2
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 is set to open its 2021 home campaign as the Zips welcome No. 9 Marshall to FirstEnergy Stadium on Tuesday, March 2. The 4 p.m. clash with the Thundering Herd will be broadcast on ESPN+.

FAN UPDATE:
Our current university COVID-19 protocols are allowing a limited pass list by the players and coaches for immediate family members to attend home men's soccer games at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The University continues to work closely with state and local health officials on protocols for hosting events and making appropriate adjustments throughout the coming weeks to expand the number of spectators in each venue.

Please follow GoZips.com, the Akron Athletics app and all Zips' social media platforms for the most-recent and up-to-date information.

HEAD COACHES
Marshall: Chris Grassie (Alderson Broaddus, 2002), Overall Record: 134-42-16 (10th Season)/Marshall Record: 35-22-8 (Fourth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 147-61-24 (14th Season)/Akron Record: 100-40-16 (Eighth Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Marshall comes into play on Tuesday, March 2, having won three straight following a 1-0 home triumph past Bowling Green on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Juniors Vitor Dias and Jan-Erik Leinhos lead the Thundering Herd's offensive attack owning team-high marks in goals (2), assists (2), points (8) and game-winners (1), while redshirt sophomore Milo Yosef directs Marshall in shots (18) and shots on goal (11). Junior goalkeeper Oliver Semmie has recorded a pair of saves on the strength of two shutouts and a 0.27 goals against average.

As a team, Marshall is leading the NCAA in shots on goal per game (10.50), second in shots per contest (21.75), third in goal differential (12), fourth in points per game (10.0) and scoring offense (3.50), 10th in assists per outing (3.00) and total goals (14), 11th in total points (40), 12th in total assists (12), 20th in corner kicks (7.25), 31st in winning percentage (.875), 33rd in goals against average (.474) and 37th in shutout percentage (.500). Individually, Leinhos is 21st in the NCAA in total goals (3), 23rd in total points (8), 27th in points per game (2.00) and 28th in game-winners (1), while Yosef is rated11th in shots per game (4.50) and 12th in shots on goal per contest (2.75).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Marshall are playing for the 12th time in program history with the Zips owning a 7-2-2 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, the Thundering Herd registered a 2-1 home triumph past the Zips on Sept. 21, 2019 in Huntington, W.Va.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 21, 2019 - HUNTINGTON, W.VA.)
A pair of unanswered tallies over a nearly three-minute span late in the decisive second half lifted Marshall to a come-from-behind men's soccer victory past Akron on Sept. 21, 2019.

After Mani Austmann gave the Zips a 1-0 lead with his first collegiate goal in the 55th minute (54:39), the Thundering Herd netted the equalizer from Jan-Erik Mar Leinhos on a penalty kick at the 78:07 mark, before Milo Yosef connected on what proved to be the game-winning tally for Marshall in the 82nd minute (81:01).

Each side posted 11 shots in the match, with Akron registering a 5-4 edge in shots on goal in the contest.

Austmann and senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) paced the Zips' attack recording a team-best two shots apiece. Jamil Roberts led the Thundering Herd with a game-high three shots.

Goalkeeper Tor Saunders garnered a pair of saves for Akron, while Paulo Pita made four stops for Marshall.

Junior Colin Biros (Jackson, Ohio) connected on the first shot on goal of the evening for either side, a strike that was corralled for a save by Pita at the 12:31 mark.

A header shot for Akron by Pacheco at the 25:18 mark was again thwarted by a stop from Pita.

The Zips earned a 2-1 margin in shots on the goal in the opening stanza, while the Thundering Herd maintained a 6-5 overall edge in shots.

Akron took advantage of its scoring opportunity in the 55th minute (54:39) as Austmann bested Pita with a header to give the Zips a 1-0 lead. Garnering assists on the tally were juniors Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.) and Sam Tojaga (Erie, Pa.).

Sophomore Will Jackson (Hudson, Ohio) and David Egbo added shots on net for Akron at the 60:15 and 68:52 marks, respectively. Both scoring chances for the Zips were denied by saves from Pita.

Saunders pulled in a shot on goal from Roberts in the 75th minute (74:05) for a save to maintain Akron's 1-0 edge.

The Zips were then whistled for a foul in the box that resulted in a successful penalty kick from Mar Leinhos at the 78:07 mark to square the tilt at one.

Yosef then lofted a shot into the net in the 82nd minute (81:01) off an assist from Roberts to give the Thundering Herd a 2-1 lead, one they didn't relinquish.

AKRON VERSUS CONFERENCE USA
• The Zips are meeting a team from Conference USA for the second time this season and 51st time overall.
• Akron owns a 27-14-9 (.630) all-time record versus the current nine members Conference USA.
• In their last encounter with a school from Conference USA, the Zips earned a 1-1 double-overtime draw at No. 12 Kentucky on Feb. 25.

ZIPS EARN 1-1 DOUBLE-OT DRAW AT NO. 12 KENTUCKY
The University of Akron men's soccer team garnered a 15th-minute (14:33) goal from Diogo Pacheco and battled through a pair of overtime sessions to earn a 1-1 double-overtime draw at No. 12 Kentucky in the Zips' season opener on Thursday, Feb. 25.

Akron finished the affair registering a 14-5 advantage in shots, led by a game-high four shots from Pacheco and two strikes apiece courtesy of senior Hazem Sobhy (Cairo, Egypt) and sophomores Henrique Cruz (Fortaleza, Brazil) and Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.). Five different Wildcats posted a shot on the afternoon for Kentucky.

In his first career start for the Zips, senior GK Will Meyer (Solon, Ohio) notched a pair of saves in net. His counterpart, Ryan Troutman matched Meyer's effort with two saves for Kentucky.

Sobhy placed the initial shot on goal for either team in the 12th minute (11:51), a shot that was pulled in for a save by Troutman.

Less than three minutes later, Carlo Ritaccio cleared a ball in the midfield to the foot of Cruz, who served a ball to a streaking Pacheco down the sideline, who took the feed and found the back of the net for his first goal of the season at the 14:33 mark. Ritaccio and Cruz earned the assists on the tally.

Neither side was able to direct a shot on goal the remainder of the period as the Zips outshot the Wildcats in the opening half, 5-2, including 2-0 on frame. Five different Akron players recorded first-half shots, with strikes from Pacheco and Sobhy coming on goal.

Cruz and Fitzgerald added shots in the opening minute of the second half before a foul on the Wildcats just outside the box resulted in a free kick in the 53rd minute (52:53). Fitzgerald's attempt went wide of the net to thwart the scoring chance.

Will Jackson recorded a shot on goal at the 54:19 mark off a corner kick, one that was pulled in by a save from Troutman.

Brock Lindow netted the equalizer for Kentucky in the 70th minute (69:49) striking a deflection off the head of Eythor Bjorgolfsson for his fourth goal of the season. The play was set-up by a long throw-in pass from Trey Arsenio, who along with Bjorgolfsson were credited with assists.

Freshman Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) got free in the offensive end for the Zips in the 85th minute (84:38) and hit a shot from the top corner of the box that went wide.

The lone shot of the first overtime session from Luis Grassow was pulled in for a save by Meyer at the 98:25 mark.

In the second overtime period, Pacheco had his strike in the 101st minute (100:32) blocked before chipping a shot high in box at the 104:20 mark that went wide.

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 Feb. 28) (.766), with an overall record of 210-53-32. The Zips are followed by Maryland, 195-60-40 (.729), Wake Forest, 189-59-35 (.730), North Carolina, 186-63-42 (.711) and Creighton, 185-68-28 (.708). 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 12 years. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 33 times, including 17 of the past 19 seasons.

ZIPS TIDBITS
• Five of the 11 matches between Akron and Marshall, have resulted in a shutout, including three of the last four, with the Zips owning a 2-0-1 mark in those contests.
• The Zips have registered 12 goals all-time versus Marshall in home games, while only surrendering four to the Thundering Herd in seven games.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in six all-time meetings with Marshall.
• Henrique Cruz and Carlo Ritaccio are rated fifth in the NCAA in assists per game (1.0), while Diogo Pacheco is 13th in goals per game (1.00), 16th in shots per contest (4.0) and 27th in points per outing (2.00).
• On the strength of 165 shots, including 63 on goal, the Zips registered 18.3 shots per game at FirstEnergy Stadium in 2019, while limiting their opponents to 10.0 shots a night.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 26-17-4 mark against ranked opponents.
• Diogo Pacheco is Akron's active career leaders in goals (8), points (20), shots (54) and shots on goal (23). Colin Biros and Pol Hernandez directs the squad in assists (5), Will Jackson paces the team in game-winning goals (3), while senior Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) has appeared in a team-high 75 games.
• The Zips own a 100-40-16 mark over the last eight seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 100 wins are ranked fourth in all of Division I.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 67 of the squad's last 119 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 22 of its last 42 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 58-10-5 record in its last 73 home matches.

RITACCIO NAMED TO TDS PRESEASON BEST XI SQUAD
Carlo Ritaccio was named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Preseason Best XI Third-Team squad.

A year after garnering second-team all-league honors, Ritaccio, who started each of the 15 matches he appeared in for Akron in 2019, was elevated to a First-Team All-MAC recipient as a sophomore. He helped anchor a Zips' defensive unit that has posted four shutouts on the campaign, while adding an assist on the strength of eight shots, including three on frame.

ZIPS' DUO COLLECTS TOP-100 ACCOLADES
University of Akron men's soccer juniors Carlo Ritaccio and Colin Biros were named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Preseason Top-100 Players to Watch men's soccer squad.

Ritaccio and Biros were tabbed No. 24 and No. 47, respectively, as the lone representatives from the Mid-American Conference.

A year after garnering second-team all-league honors, Ritaccio, who started each of the 15 matches he appeared in for Akron in 2019, was elevated to a First-Team All-MAC recipient as a sophomore. He helped anchor a Zips' defensive unit that has posted four shutouts on the campaign, while adding an assist on the strength of eight shots, including three on frame.

Named a First-Team All-MAC honoree for the first time as a sophomore, Biros, started 16 of Akron's 18 games in 2019. Sparked by 13 shots, including six on goal, he recorded two goals and one assist, and ranked third in the conference in game-winning goals (1) in league-only affairs.

ZIPS IN THE CLASSROOM
Academic success has been a staple for the Zips under head coach Jared Embick. Akron has posted a cumulative team GPA's of 3.0 or better in each of the last six semesters and 15 of 16 overall under Embick, including registering cumulative marks of 3.316, 3.21, 3.02, 3.09, 3.20 and 3.37 during the 2019-20, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16, 2014-15 campaigns, respectively.

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The University of Akron men's soccer program opened its 66th season of intercollegiate soccer as the favorite to capture the Mid-American Conference regular season title in a preseason poll of six conference coaches, the league office announced Tuesday, Feb. 16.

The Zips under eighth-year head coach Jared Embick were picked to capture the conference regular season championship in the MAC Coaches Preseason poll with three first-place votes. Following Akron (33 points) in the rankings were Western Michigan (28 points) and Bowling Green (21 points). The Broncos and Falcons garnered two and one first-place tallies, respectively.

Rounding out the remainder of the poll was West Virginia (18 points), Northern Illinois (14 points) and SIU Edwardsville (12 points).

UP NEXT
Akron is scheduled to open Mid-American Conference play hosting Bowling Green at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday, March 7 at 1 p.m.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mani Austmann

Colin Biros

Henrique Cruz

David Egbo

Johnny Fitzgerald

Pol Hernandez

Will Jackson

Will Meyer

Diogo Pacheco

Carlo Ritaccio

Tor Saunders

Jason Shokalook

Hazem Sobhy

Daniel Strachan

Sam Tojaga

The University of Akron Athletics