Akron Hosts Rival Kent State Before Visiting Detroit

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AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's lacrosse team will be challenged by a pair of Mid-American Conference matches this week as the squad battles rival Kent State and Detroit. The Zips open the week hosting the Golden Flashes on Tuesday, April 20 at 7 p.m. before visiting the Titans for a 2 p.m. tilt on Saturday, April 24.

CRYSTAL CLINIC ORTHOPAEDIC CENTER WAGON WHEEL CHALLENGE:
A half point in the 16-sport Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge will be on the line when Akron battles Kent State on Tuesday, April 20. The rivalry series between the Zips and Golden Flashes is based on a time-honored competition for an historic wooden wagon wheel trophy awarded originally in 1945 to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game. Through 12 events this season, Zips lead the series, 4.5-4.0.

Since the 2011-12 academic year, the rivalry was broadened to include 16 NCAA varsity sports, with victories in each sport adding one point to the challenge standings. To learn more about the rivalry and follow the results and standings, visit:
www.WagonWheelChallenge.com

SCOUTING KENT STATE:
Kent State has dropped it last two matches and enters play this week at 3-7 start on the campaign, including a 2-3 mark in the Mid-American Conference, following the Golden Flashes' 23-4 setback versus Robert Morris on Saturday, April 9. Junior Madison Rapier directs the Golden Flashes' offensive attack with team-high marks in goals (26), points (29), while ranking second in shots (44) and shots on goal (37). Junior Abby Jones leads Kent State in assists (7), shots (52) and shots on goal (41). Freshman GK Taylor Monturo has collected 59 saves on the campaign for Kent State. The Golden Flashes are led by third-year head coach Brianne Tierney, who owns a 28-53 ledger in six years as a head coach.

SCOUTING DETROIT:
After returning to action for the first time in a month against Akron on April 13, Detroit stands at 2-2 overall and 2-2 in the Mid-American Conference after winning two straight following a 24-12 triumph at Youngstown State on Saturday, April 17. Junior Elise Harder directs Detroit's offensive attack with team-high marks in goals (15), points (16), shots (21) and shots on goal (19). Senior GK Maddie Johnson has posted 26 saves on the campaign in net for the Titans. Detroit is led by first-year head coach Dwayne Hicks, who owns a 2-2 ledger.

ZIPS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS:
Redshirt freshman GK Ashley Lapp (Missouri City, Texas) is rated 16th in the NCAA in in save percentage (.485) and 23rd in goals against average (10.19). Redshirt freshmen Alexis Kiefer (West Chicago, Ill.) is ranked 26th in the country in goals (37) and shots on goals per game (5.67), 37th in shots per outing (7.17) and 48th in goals per tilt (3.08), while sophomore Kaylee Riggins (Zionsville, Ind.) stands 25th in draw controls per outing (5.91).

As a team, Akron is rated 11th in the NCAA in ground ball per game (21.00), 13th in caused turnovers (10.25), 39th in draw control percentage (.527), 47th in save percentage (.438) and 48th in scoring defense (11.75).

IN OUR LAST MEETING WITH KENT STATE (MARCH 13, 2021 - KENT, OHIO):
In the inaugural encounter between the University of Akron women's lacrosse team and Kent State, it was the Golden Flashes that escaped with a 9-8 triumph past the Zips on March 13 at Dix Stadium.

Alexis Kiefer registered her 13th and 14th goals of the season for the Zips, while redshirt freshman Abby McMullen (Medina, Ohio) and Kaylee Riggins also posted a team-high two goals for Akron.

Additionally, freshman Anjali Silverheels (Hamburg, N.Y.) tallied her first career goal in the opening half, while redshirt freshman Kaija Kunttu (Zionsville, Ind.) notched a second-half tally to round out the Zips' scoring efforts on the afternoon.

Abby Jones crafted a match-high five-goal performance for the Golden Flashes.

GK Ashley Lapp recorded eight saves for Akron, while her counterpart Taylor Monturo posted 13 stops for Kent State. The Zips' defensive efforts thwarted the Golden Flashes' attack on each of their eight free position attempts.

The Zips earned a 21-17 advantage in shots on goal in the tilt, despite being outshoot overall by a 28-25 margin.

Riggins gave the Zips an early 1-0 advantage with a goal at the 2:32 mark, before the Golden Flashes assumed at 3-1 lead with a trio of unanswered tallies.

Akron evened the score at three following successful free position shots from Silverheels and Riggins in the 23rd (22:14) and 27th (26:51) minutes, respectively.

Kent State entered the intermission holding a 4-3 lead after a goal with 18 seconds left in the half.

The two teams exchanged the first four goals of the second half before the Golden Flashes netted back-to-back tallies to assume an 8-5 lead with 15:42 to play.

McMullen and Kiefer helped the Zips fire back a scoring salvo of their own with goals at the 17:37 and 22:17 marks, respectively.

Jones extended Kent State's lead to 9-7 with 5:51 to play before Kiefer capped the scoring with a goal at the 28:52 mark.

IN OUR LAST MEETING WITH DETROIT (APRIL 13, 2021 - AKRON, OHIO):
Alexis Kiefer equaled a program-record with an eight-goal performance, but the effort was not enough to lift the Zips to victory as Detroit secured a 15-14 triple-overtime Mid-American Conference triumph on April 13 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

Akron played from behind the majority of the match, trailing by as many as four goals, before Kiefer and freshman Jacqueline Glassey (Kildeer, Ill.) tallied goals with 1:44 and 0:39 left in regulation for the Zips to send the contest into overtime all squared at 14.

The Titans' Annie Gilbert netted the game-winner at the 1:31 mark of the third overtime period to end the longest match in program history.

Abby McMullen added three goals for Akron, while garnering one tally apiece was Glassey, Kaylee Riggins and Kaija Kunttu. Elise Harder directed the offensive output for Detroit with a team-high four goals.

The Zips also benefited from two assists each from Glassey, McMullen, Riggins and freshmen Madeline Shewbridge (Cincinnati, Ohio), while freshman Noelle Boyd (Murrysville, Pa.) added Akron's other assist.

GK Ashley Lapp (Missouri City, Texas) and redshirt freshman Abby Lerch (Coraopolis, Pa.) faced 24 saves in the match, while Hannah Shrader and Maddie Johnson were peppered by an Akron single-game conference-best 40 shots.

Kiefer gave the Zips the early advantage, 1-0, with a goal at the 26:52 mark, before the Titans scored the next three tallies to assume a 3-1 lead.

Back-to-back scores from Kiefer evened the score at three at the 15:21 mark of the first half.

Detroit responded with four-straight goals to take a 7-3 edge with 7:12 left before halftime.

McMullen cut the deficit to two, 7-5, with goals at the 23:15 and 24:35 marks, respectively.

The two teams alternated the next four goals before McMullen capped the scoring in the opening stanza with a goal at the 28:50 mark to send the Zips into halftime trailing by one, 9-8.

Riggins netted the equalizer at the 7:22 mark of the second, half before the Titans responded scoring three of the next four goals to assume a 12-10 lead.

The two sides exchanged the ensuing five tallies before Glassey netted an unassisted goal with 39 seconds remaining to force overtime.

A WEEK AGO:
A dominant first-half performance propelled Mid-American Conference leader Robert Morris past the University of Akron women's lacrosse team on Saturday, April 17, 18-4, at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

The Zips garnered goals in the affair from freshman Chloe Hererra (Houston, Texas), Alexis Kiefer, freshman Camille Patton (Canton, Ohio) and Kaylee Riggins.

The Zips also benefited from two assists from Abby McMullen and one each courtesy of redshirt junior Anna Dennison (Fallston, Md.) and Anjali Silverheels.

GK Ashley Lapp and Abby Lerch made five saves apiece for Akron.

UP NEXT:
Akron is slated to close out its campaign traveling to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to battle Central Michigan on May 1 at 1 p.m.

Akron Hosts Rival Kent State Before Visiting Detroit

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Players Mentioned

Noelle Boyd

Anna Dennison

Jacqueline Glassey

Chloe Herrera

Alexis Kiefer

Kaija Kunttu

Ashley Lapp

Abby Lerch

Abby McMullen

Camille Patton

Madeline Shewbridge

Anjali Silverheels

The University of Akron Athletics