The University of Akron Athletics
Thursday, March 18
Akron, Ohio
7:00 PM
University of Akron
vs
Buffalo
Akron Opens Three-Game Homestand Battling Buffalo and Miami
March 17 | Women's Soccer
Follow Akron Women's Soccer on Facebook and Twitter
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AKRON, Ohio -Â The University of Akron women's soccer team is set to open a three-game homestand this week as the Zips welcome Buffalo and Miami to FirstEnergy Stadium for contests. Akron will square off against the Bulls on Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m., before battling the RedHawks on Sunday, March 21 at 4 p.m.
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March 17 vs. Buffalo | 7 p.m. | FirstEnergy Stadium | Akron, Ohio
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com; Live Stream: www.GoZips.com
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March 21 vs. Miami | 4 p.m. | FirstEnergy Stadium | Akron, Ohio
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com; Live Stream: www.GoZips.com
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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 women's soccer games at FirstEnergy Stadium. Additionally, there will be limited capacity for University of Akron students to attend these contests as well.
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.
SCOUTING AKRON:
Akron eyes its initial triumph of the year after suffering a 2-0 setback in its last contest at Ohio on Sunday, March 14.
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Sophomore Bailee Bowers (Dublin, Ohio) leads Akron with a team-high four shots, while redshirt junior Aislinn Meaney (Ennis, Ireland) and freshman Katie Stafford (Gahanna, Ohio) have added two shots apiece. Sophomore GK Vanessa Berlin (Gau-Odernheim, Germany) has started each of Akron's three games and has posted 12 saves.
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Akron is led by sixth-year head coach Noreen Herlihy, who maintains a 28-60-14 ledger at the helm of the Zips' program, and a 278-173-44 mark in 26 campaigns overall as a head coach.
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SCOUTING BUFFALO:
Buffalo enters plays this Thursday, March 18, having won two straight and two of three overall on the campaign following a 2-1 home triumph past Bowling Green on Sunday, March 14.
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Senior Marcy Barberic leads the Bulls' offensive efforts having recorded team-high marks in goals (4), points (9), shots (14), shots on goal (9) and game-winners (1). Junior goalkeeper Emily Kelly has amassed 10 saves en route to owning a 0.67 goals against average on the strength of one shutout.
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Buffalo is led by seventh-year head coach Shawn Burke, who maintains a 63-44-17 ledger at the helm of the Bulls' program.
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SCOUTING MIAMI:
Miami comes into action this weekend with a 2-1 mark following a 4-2 home triumph past Kent State on Sunday, March 14. The RedHawks will open their weekend with a road test at Bowling Green on Thursday, March 18.
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Freshman Haley Anspach paces the RedHawks with team-best marks in assists (2), points (4), shots (12), shots on goal (8) and game-winners (1), while ranking second in goals (1). Junior goalkeeper Izzie Vaccari has amassed 13 saves on the campaign for Miami.
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The RedHawks are led by third-year head coach Courtney Sirmans, who maintains a 9-28-2 ledger at the helm of the Miami program.
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SERIES HISTORY:
The Zips will square off against Buffalo for the 20th time in program history with Akron leading the all-time series 9-8-2. The two teams battled to a 1-1 draw in the regular season finale a year ago on Oct. 31, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium, before the Bulls posted a 2-1 double-overtime triumph in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Nov. 3, 2019 at UB Stadium.
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Akron and Miami are meeting for the 23rd time in program history with the RedHawks leading the all-time series 11-8-3. The Zips bested Miami, 2-0, on Oct. 6, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
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LAST GAME:
A pair of first-half goals proved too much for the University of Akron women's soccer team to overcome as Ohio registered a 3-0 triumph past the Zips on Sunday, March 14 at Peden Stadium.
The Zips were outshot in the affair, 18-1, including Ohio owning a 7-0 edge in shots on goal.
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GK Vanessa Berlin (Gau-Odernheim, Germany) notched four saves for Akron in net, while her counterpart Sydney Malham, earned a clean-sheet victory without making a stop.
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IN OUR LAST MEETING BUFFALO (Nov. 3, 2019 - Buffalo, N.Y.):
A goal in the 109th minute (108:22) of the second overtime lifted fourth-seeded Buffalo to a 2-1 triumph past fifth-seeded Akron in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Mid-American Conference Tournament on Nov. 3, 2019 at UB Stadium in Buffalo, N.Y.
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Akron and Buffalo played a scoreless match for 83-minutes before Buffalo claimed a 1-0 advantage (83:06) courtesy of a header by Kaitlyn Walsh off a corner kick.
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Determined to tie the game up, the Zips aggressively pushed the ball forward as play resumed. Just 37 seconds following the Bulls' goal, Akron answered with a goal at the 83:43 mark to tie the game at one. Senior Ryley Watt (Irwin, Pa.) launched a free-kick into the right side of the box, where junior Hailey Clere (Oregon, Ohio) was on the receiving end of Watt's pass and headed the ball across the box to Abigail Brown, who headed the ball into the left corner of the goal for the game-tying score.
With under two minutes to play in double-overtime the game seemed destined for penalty kicks, but the Bulls had other plans earning the golden goal victory at the 108:22 mark.
The first half for the Zips was won by the Akron defense. The defensive backline turned in a stout defensive effort keeping Buffalo off the scoreboard, while sophomore GK Libby Harper (Hatfield, England) was a wall for the Zips in the net pulling in six saves.Â
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Aislinn Meaney recorded the first shot of the match for the Zips in the 15th minute of the match, one that was pulled in for the save.
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One minute later, Harper made two huge saves in the 16th minute to keep the Bulls off the scoreboard.
Â
Harper made an exceptional save diving to her right in the 35th minute of the match to again deny Buffalo.
Â
At the 53:26 mark, Meaney garnered the first shot on goal for Akron in the second half. Meaney controlled the ball on the left side of the field just outside of the box and attempted a shot on goal that was pulled in for a save.
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Six minutes later, Bailee Bowers put another shot on goal for Buffalo.
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Bowers nearly netted a golden goal for the Zips in the second overtime period, however, a spectacular save by Emily Kelly in net for Buffalo denied the Akron of the opportunity.Â
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IN OUR LAST MEETING MIAMI (Oct. 6, 2019 - Akron, Ohio):
The Akron women's soccer team dominated on both ends of the field against Miami as a pair of goals by juniors Sydney Worthy and Kayleigh Penton (Vermilion, Ohio), along with a clean sheet in the net for Libby Harper, secured a 2-0 shutout victory over the RedHawks on Oct. 6, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium.Â
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Worthy notched a goal and game-winning tally for the Akron offense. At the 31:39 mark of the first half, the Zips were awarded a corner kick opportunity and sophomore Anya Donelan (Warrington, England) trotted to the near corner of the field. The Zips midfielder served the ball just outside the top of the goalie box where Worthy leaped into the air and headed the ball into the right side of the net for what proved to be the game-winning tally.
Â
Akron continued to push the ball forward in the second half of the match. The Zips' aggressive style of play paid off in the 56th minute of the contest as Penton scored a goal.
Â
On the afternoon, the Zips tallied 18 shots en route to the victory along with nine shots on goal. Ten Akron players found themselves in the box score recording at least one shot. Penton directed the offensive attack for Akron with a game-high four shots.
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Harper posted three saves en route to earning the shutout in the net for Akron.
Â
UP NEXT:
Akron is scheduled to closes its three-game homestand hosting Kent State at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 28 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Â
AKRON, Ohio -Â The University of Akron women's soccer team is set to open a three-game homestand this week as the Zips welcome Buffalo and Miami to FirstEnergy Stadium for contests. Akron will square off against the Bulls on Thursday, March 18 at 7 p.m., before battling the RedHawks on Sunday, March 21 at 4 p.m.
Â
March 17 vs. Buffalo | 7 p.m. | FirstEnergy Stadium | Akron, Ohio
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com; Live Stream: www.GoZips.com
Â
March 21 vs. Miami | 4 p.m. | FirstEnergy Stadium | Akron, Ohio
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com; Live Stream: www.GoZips.com
Â
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 women's soccer games at FirstEnergy Stadium. Additionally, there will be limited capacity for University of Akron students to attend these contests as well.
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.
SCOUTING AKRON:
Akron eyes its initial triumph of the year after suffering a 2-0 setback in its last contest at Ohio on Sunday, March 14.
Â
Sophomore Bailee Bowers (Dublin, Ohio) leads Akron with a team-high four shots, while redshirt junior Aislinn Meaney (Ennis, Ireland) and freshman Katie Stafford (Gahanna, Ohio) have added two shots apiece. Sophomore GK Vanessa Berlin (Gau-Odernheim, Germany) has started each of Akron's three games and has posted 12 saves.
Â
Akron is led by sixth-year head coach Noreen Herlihy, who maintains a 28-60-14 ledger at the helm of the Zips' program, and a 278-173-44 mark in 26 campaigns overall as a head coach.
Â
SCOUTING BUFFALO:
Buffalo enters plays this Thursday, March 18, having won two straight and two of three overall on the campaign following a 2-1 home triumph past Bowling Green on Sunday, March 14.
Â
Senior Marcy Barberic leads the Bulls' offensive efforts having recorded team-high marks in goals (4), points (9), shots (14), shots on goal (9) and game-winners (1). Junior goalkeeper Emily Kelly has amassed 10 saves en route to owning a 0.67 goals against average on the strength of one shutout.
Â
Buffalo is led by seventh-year head coach Shawn Burke, who maintains a 63-44-17 ledger at the helm of the Bulls' program.
Â
| BUFFALO | AKRON | |
| Overall Record | 2-1-0 | 0-3-0 |
| Conference Record | 2-1-0 | 0-3-0 |
| Goals | 7 | 0 |
| Goals-Shot Attempts | 7-40Â | 0-13 |
| Goals Per Game | 2.33Â | 0.00 |
| Assists | 6 | 0 |
| Shots | 40Â | 13 |
| Shot on Goal | 20 | 4Â |
| Shots Percentage | .175 | .000Â |
| Shots on Goal Per Game | .500Â | .308Â |
| Shots Per Game | 13.3 | 4.3 |
| Corner Kicks | 15 | 12 |
| Opponent Corner Kicks | 15 | 12 |
| Penalty Kicks | 2-2Â | 0-0Â |
| Opponent Penalty Kicks | 0-1 | 0-0Â |
SCOUTING MIAMI:
Miami comes into action this weekend with a 2-1 mark following a 4-2 home triumph past Kent State on Sunday, March 14. The RedHawks will open their weekend with a road test at Bowling Green on Thursday, March 18.
Â
Freshman Haley Anspach paces the RedHawks with team-best marks in assists (2), points (4), shots (12), shots on goal (8) and game-winners (1), while ranking second in goals (1). Junior goalkeeper Izzie Vaccari has amassed 13 saves on the campaign for Miami.
Â
The RedHawks are led by third-year head coach Courtney Sirmans, who maintains a 9-28-2 ledger at the helm of the Miami program.
Â
| MIAMI | AKRON | |
| Overall Record | 2-1-0 | 0-3-0 |
| Conference Record | 2-1-0 | 0-3-0 |
| Goals | 5 | 0 |
| Goals-Shot Attempts | 5-32Â | 0-13 |
| Goals Per Game | 1.67Â | 0.00 |
| Assists | 6 | 0 |
| Shots | 32 | 13 |
| Shot on Goal | 21 | 4Â |
| Shots Percentage | .156 | .000Â |
| Shots on Goal Per Game | .656Â | .308Â |
| Shots Per Game | 10.7 | 4.3 |
| Corner Kicks | 11 | 12 |
| Opponent Corner Kicks | 9 | 12 |
| Penalty Kicks | 0-1Â | 0-0Â |
| Opponent Penalty Kicks | 2-2 | 0-0Â |
SERIES HISTORY:
The Zips will square off against Buffalo for the 20th time in program history with Akron leading the all-time series 9-8-2. The two teams battled to a 1-1 draw in the regular season finale a year ago on Oct. 31, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium, before the Bulls posted a 2-1 double-overtime triumph in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Nov. 3, 2019 at UB Stadium.
Â
Akron and Miami are meeting for the 23rd time in program history with the RedHawks leading the all-time series 11-8-3. The Zips bested Miami, 2-0, on Oct. 6, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Â
LAST GAME:
A pair of first-half goals proved too much for the University of Akron women's soccer team to overcome as Ohio registered a 3-0 triumph past the Zips on Sunday, March 14 at Peden Stadium.
The Zips were outshot in the affair, 18-1, including Ohio owning a 7-0 edge in shots on goal.
Â
GK Vanessa Berlin (Gau-Odernheim, Germany) notched four saves for Akron in net, while her counterpart Sydney Malham, earned a clean-sheet victory without making a stop.
Â
IN OUR LAST MEETING BUFFALO (Nov. 3, 2019 - Buffalo, N.Y.):
A goal in the 109th minute (108:22) of the second overtime lifted fourth-seeded Buffalo to a 2-1 triumph past fifth-seeded Akron in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Mid-American Conference Tournament on Nov. 3, 2019 at UB Stadium in Buffalo, N.Y.
Â
Akron and Buffalo played a scoreless match for 83-minutes before Buffalo claimed a 1-0 advantage (83:06) courtesy of a header by Kaitlyn Walsh off a corner kick.
Â
Determined to tie the game up, the Zips aggressively pushed the ball forward as play resumed. Just 37 seconds following the Bulls' goal, Akron answered with a goal at the 83:43 mark to tie the game at one. Senior Ryley Watt (Irwin, Pa.) launched a free-kick into the right side of the box, where junior Hailey Clere (Oregon, Ohio) was on the receiving end of Watt's pass and headed the ball across the box to Abigail Brown, who headed the ball into the left corner of the goal for the game-tying score.
With under two minutes to play in double-overtime the game seemed destined for penalty kicks, but the Bulls had other plans earning the golden goal victory at the 108:22 mark.
The first half for the Zips was won by the Akron defense. The defensive backline turned in a stout defensive effort keeping Buffalo off the scoreboard, while sophomore GK Libby Harper (Hatfield, England) was a wall for the Zips in the net pulling in six saves.Â
Â
Aislinn Meaney recorded the first shot of the match for the Zips in the 15th minute of the match, one that was pulled in for the save.
Â
One minute later, Harper made two huge saves in the 16th minute to keep the Bulls off the scoreboard.
Â
Harper made an exceptional save diving to her right in the 35th minute of the match to again deny Buffalo.
Â
At the 53:26 mark, Meaney garnered the first shot on goal for Akron in the second half. Meaney controlled the ball on the left side of the field just outside of the box and attempted a shot on goal that was pulled in for a save.
Â
Six minutes later, Bailee Bowers put another shot on goal for Buffalo.
Â
Bowers nearly netted a golden goal for the Zips in the second overtime period, however, a spectacular save by Emily Kelly in net for Buffalo denied the Akron of the opportunity.Â
Â
IN OUR LAST MEETING MIAMI (Oct. 6, 2019 - Akron, Ohio):
The Akron women's soccer team dominated on both ends of the field against Miami as a pair of goals by juniors Sydney Worthy and Kayleigh Penton (Vermilion, Ohio), along with a clean sheet in the net for Libby Harper, secured a 2-0 shutout victory over the RedHawks on Oct. 6, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium.Â
Â
Worthy notched a goal and game-winning tally for the Akron offense. At the 31:39 mark of the first half, the Zips were awarded a corner kick opportunity and sophomore Anya Donelan (Warrington, England) trotted to the near corner of the field. The Zips midfielder served the ball just outside the top of the goalie box where Worthy leaped into the air and headed the ball into the right side of the net for what proved to be the game-winning tally.
Â
Akron continued to push the ball forward in the second half of the match. The Zips' aggressive style of play paid off in the 56th minute of the contest as Penton scored a goal.
Â
On the afternoon, the Zips tallied 18 shots en route to the victory along with nine shots on goal. Ten Akron players found themselves in the box score recording at least one shot. Penton directed the offensive attack for Akron with a game-high four shots.
Â
Harper posted three saves en route to earning the shutout in the net for Akron.
Â
UP NEXT:
Akron is scheduled to closes its three-game homestand hosting Kent State at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 28 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
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