Second-Half Comeback Falls Short as Western Michigan Edges Akron, 4-3

Sunday, April 18

Kalamazoo, Mich.

12:00 PM

University of Akron

4-4-2, 3-4-1

Western Michigan

7-3-1, 5-3-1

Akron

Western Mich.

Second-Half Comeback Falls Short as Western Michigan Edges Akron, 4-3

April 18 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

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BOXSCORE (PDF)

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - A furious second-half comeback fell short as Western Michigan garnered a 4-3 triumph over the University of Akron men's soccer team on Sunday, April 18, in the regular season finale for both squads at the WMU Soccer Complex.

"You can't spot a team three goals and expect to get a result," Akron head coach Jared Embick commented. "Once I found the line-up and the guys that were willing to compete at an acceptable level to be an Akron player, then we almost pulled off a great comeback. End-to-end, we faced a lot of adversity this year and we may have not overcome it the way we wanted now, but this situation will help us be a stronger team in the fall."

Trailing 3-1 at halftime, the Zips (4-4-2, 3-4-1) persevered over the game's final stanza to twice bring Akron within one goal on the strength of second-half tallies from seniors Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) and Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio). Freshman Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) registered his first career goal with a tally in the 41st minute (40:34).

The Zips posted a 17-11 advantage in shots, with each side recording eight shots on goal. Pacheco led Akron with a team season-high six shots, including collecting a career-best four shots on goal. Senior Hazem Sobhy (Cairo, Egypt) and sophomore Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.) added three and two shots, respectively. Brennan Creek and Mike Melaragni directed Western Michigan with three shots apiece.

Senior GK Will Meyer (Solon, Ohio) notched a trio of saves for the Zips, who were also credited with a team save. Isaac Walker made five stops for the Broncos.

Western Michigan gained the early momentum in the affair when Eric Conerty found the back of the net at the 2:37.

The Broncos extended their lead to 2-0 with a goal from Melaragni in the 13th minute (12:59), before Dylan Sing pushed the margin to 3-0 with a tally at the 25:36 mark.

Clapier sent the Zips into the intermission down 3-1 on the strength of his first goal of the season in the 41st minute (40:34) off an assist from freshman Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.).

Akron cut the deficit to one, 3-2, when Pacheco successfully converted a penalty kick at the 46:58 mark.

Creek netted what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 64th minute (63:45) sliding in a ball into the net off of a deflection on a corner kick for Western Michigan.

Strachan capped the scoring in the affair with his second goal of the year at the 84:39 mark off an assist from Fitzgerald.