Akron Closes Regular Sesason Campaign at Western Michigan

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GAME NO. 10 - AKRON AT WESTERN MICHIGAN NOTES (4/18)

Akron (4-3-2, 3-3-1 MAC) at Western Michigan (6-4-1, 4-3-1 MAC)
Sunday, April 18
WMU Soccer Complex
Kalamazoo, Mich. • 12 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 37-4-5
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron men's soccer team draws its regular season to a close on Sunday, April 18 as the Zips travel to Western Michigan for a 12 p.m. tilt at the WMU Soccer Complex. The showdown with the Broncos will be broadcast on ESPN3.

HEAD COACHES
Western Michigan: Chad Wiseman (Western Michigan, 2007), Overall Record: 135-70-26 (12th Season)/WMU Record: 82-45-20 (Eighth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 151-64-25 (14th Season)/Akron Record: 104-43-17 (Eighth Season)

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan enters action on Sunday, April 18, unbeaten in its last three games after battling Akron to a 0-0 double-overtime draw on Wednesday, April 14.

Junior Mike Melaragni, the current Mid-American Conference Player of the Week, leads the Broncos in goals (5), assists (3), points (13), shots on goal (14) and game-winners (2), while ranking second in shots (15). Sophomore goalkeeper Isaac Walker has recorded 29 saves on the strength of three shutouts and a 1.19 goals against average.

The Broncos are rated 37th in the NCAA in total assists (17), 41st in assists per game (1.70), 46th in points per contest (5.10), 48th in total goals (17) and winning percentage (.650) and 49th in total points (51). Individually, Melaragni is 39th in the NCAA in game-winning goals (2) and 45th in total goals (5) and total points (13).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Western Michigan are squaring off for 47th time in program history with the Zips owning a 37-4-5 series advantage. On Wednesday, the two teams battled to a 0-0 double-overtime draw at FirstEnergy Stadium.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (APRIL 14, 2021 - AKRON, OHIO)
In a men's soccer showdown with Mid-American Conference title implications on the line, the University of Akron men's soccer team battled Western Michigan down to the wire before the two conference adversaries exited with a 0-0 double-overtime draw on Wednesday, April 14 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Broncos earned a 11-10 advantage in shots on the evening, while the Zips posted the edge in shots on goal, 4-3.

Freshman Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) registered a team-high three shots for Akron, while junior Colin Biros (Jackson, Ohio) added two shots, with both falling on goal. Western Michigan was led by a game-high four-shot performance from Dylan Sing.

Senior GK Will Meyer (Solon, Ohio) was stellar in net for the Zips recording three saves, and numerous punch-outs in the box to thwart shot attempts by the Broncos. Isaac Walker pulled in four stops for Western Michigan.

FINAL PUSH TO EARN MAC'S NCAA AUTOMATIC BERTH NEARS FINISH LINE
With the final day of Mid-American Conference regular season action on tap on Sunday, April 18, the stage has been set for a tightly-contested battle to determine the league's automatic qualifier for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Due to an in-balance of contested games across the MAC this spring due to COVID-19, this year's regular season champion will be determined based on average points per conference game. Entering play on Sunday, April 18, Bowling Green leads the race for the automatic berth averaging 1.86 points per contest, with wins accounting for three points and ties equaling one point. The Falcons are followed by West Virginia (1.63) and Western Michigan (1.63), Akron (1.43), Northern Illinois (1.33) and SIU Edwardsville (0.86). The Zips, Falcons, Mountaineers and Broncos each remain in contention for the league title, while Northern Illinois and SIU Edwardsville have been eliminated from the title chase.

GOLDEN GOAL LIFTS BOWLING GREEN PAST AKRON, 1-0
A golden goal in the 97th minute (96:11) from Vinny Worner lifted Bowling Green to a 1-0 overtime triumph past the 21st-rated University of Akron men's soccer team on Sunday, April 11 at Cochrane Stadium.

The Zips were outshot in the match, 25-8, including 9-0 on goal. Senior Hazem Sobhy (Cairo, Egypt) led Akron with a team-best two shots, while Chris Sullivan directed the Falcons' offensive attack with a game-high five shots.

GK Will Meyer garnered a season-high eight saves in goal for the Zips, with six of those stops occurring in the second half and overtime. Logan Kowalczyk earned the shutout for Bowling Green without the benefit of making a save.

The game-winning goal came off a corner kick the was headed in the box to Worner, who struck the ball from 10 yards out to the corner of the net to give the Falcons their first home victory over Akron since the 2002 campaign.

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 April 15) (.761), with an overall record of 214-56-33. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 192-59-37 (.731), Maryland, 199-62-42 (.726), North Carolina, 190-64-43 (.712) and Creighton, 190-73-28 (.701). 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
• Twelve of the 20 matches between Akron and Western Michigan with head coach Jared Embick on the Zips' sideline have resulted in a shutout, including six of the last 11, with the Zips owning a 9-2-1 mark in those contests.
• Akron is 19-2-2 all-time at home versus Western Michigan, having outscored the Broncos, 67-11.
• The Zips own a 15-2-2 ledger in games versus the Broncos at the WMU Soccer Complex and have outscored Western Michigan, 48-12.
• Western Michigan played its first regular season game at FirstEnergy Stadium since the 2016 campaign on Wednesday after the 2018 showdown was canceled due to a campus power outage.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 34 of 46 all-time meetings with Western Michigan.
• Twenty-one Zips have registered a shot this season, including nine newcomers.
• Diogo Pacheco and sophomore Tonny Temple (Millville, Pa.) lead Akron in goals (2) , while Pacheco paces the team in shots (12) and shots on goal (6). Colin Biros directs the Zips in assists (3) and points (5).
• Diogo Pacheco is Akron's active career leaders in goals (9), points (22), shots (62) and shots on goal (28). Colin Biros directs the squad in assists (8), Will Jackson paces the team in game-winning goals (3), while senior Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) has appeared in a team-high 74 games.
• The Zips own a 104-43-17 mark over the last eight seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 104 wins are ranked sixth in all of Division I.

UP NEXT
Akron will find out on Monday, April 19 at noon if the Zips' 2021 resume garners the squad a selection to the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Closes Regular Sesason Campaign at Western Michigan

Players Mentioned

Colin Biros

Will Jackson

Will Meyer

Diogo Pacheco

Jason Shokalook

Hazem Sobhy

Daniel Strachan

Tonny Temple

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