Akron Visits Central Michigan in Season Finale

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CENTRAL MICHIGAN: LIVE STATS | LIVE STREAM

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's lacrosse team will close out its 2021 campaign this Saturday, May 1, as the Zips travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to square off against Central Michigan in a 1 p.m. tilt.

SCOUTING CENTRAL MICHIGAN:
Central Michigan enters play against Akron (7-7, 4-5 MAC) owning a 7-6 mark, including a 5-2 ledger in league play following a 19-9 triumph versus Kent State on Wednesday, April 28. Senior Natalie Karlen leads the Chippewas in goals (55), assists (16), points (71), shots (109) and shots on goal (80). Sophomore GK Sierra Savage has started all 13 matches for Central Michigan and has recorded 116 saves. The Chippewas are led by sixth-year head coach Sara Tisdale, who owns a 40-47 ledger at Central Michigan, and an 91-55 record in nine overall campaigns as a head coach.

ZIPS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS:
Redshirt freshman GK Ashley Lapp (Missouri City, Texas) is rated 16th in the NCAA in in save percentage (.484) and 21st in goals against average (10.07). Redshirt freshmen Alexis Kiefer (West Chicago, Ill.) is ranked 16th in the country in shots on goals per game (5.67), 18th in goals (46), 37th in shots per outing (7.36) and 40th in goals per tilt (3.29), while sophomore Julia Frombach (Avon, Ohio) stands 16th in caused turnovers per outing (2.00).

As a team, Akron is rated seventh in the NCAA in ground ball per game (21.79), ninth in caused turnovers (10.79), 36th in save percentage (.454), 39th in draw control percentage (.527) and 40th in scoring defense (11.36).

IN OUR LAST MEETING WITH CENTRAL MICHIGAN (APRIL 3, 2021 - AKRON, OHIO):
A strong second-half performance propelled Central Michigan to a 17-7 triumph past Akron in a Mid-American Conference showdown on April 3 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

The Zips battled one of the top teams in the conference throughout the first half as Akron entered the intermission trailing 5-3. The Chippewas broke open the tilt netting the first seven goals of the second half en route to posting the victory.

Central Michigan registered a 38-21 edge in shots on the afternoon, including a 24-15 margin in shots on goal.

Redshirt freshman Kaija Kunttu (Zionsville, Ind.) led the Zips with a team-high two goals, while freshmen Noelle Boyd (Murrysville, Pa.), redshirt junior Anna Dennison (Fallston, Md.), Alexis Kiefer and redshirt freshman Abby McMullen (Medina, Ohio) and freshman Madeline Shewbridge (Cincinnati, Ohio) added one tally each. Natalie Karlen directed the Chippewas' offensive efforts recording a game-high five goals.

Garnering assists for Akron was Boyd, Kunttu, Kaylee Riggins and Shewbridge.

Redshirt freshmen GK's Ashley Lapp (Missouri City, Texas) and Abby Lerch (Coraopolis, Pa.) combined to collect 15 saves for the Zips, while Sierra Savage pulled in nine stops for Central Michigan.

The two teams battled through a defensive showdown in the opening 10 minutes of the match as neither side scored until Shewbridge gave Akron a 1-0 lead off an assist from Boyd at the 9:55 mark.

Central Michigan scored the next four tallies before Boyd and Shewbridge connected again in the 26th minute (25:04) with Boyd scoring her 13th goal of the season to cut the Zips' deficit to 4-2.

After a goal by the Chippewas, Kunttu delivered her sixth tally of the year to send Akron into the intermission trailing 5-3.

Dennison snapped Central Michigan's scoring run to start the final period with her seventh goal of the year at the 12:04 mark.

The Zips also garnered goals from McMullen (13:56), Kunttu (26:35) and Kiefer (28:07) to account for the 17-7 final.

A WEEK AGO:
Akron erased an early first-half deficit en route to registering a 16-12 road triumph past Detroit in Mid-American Conference action on Saturday, April 24.

Akron won its second consecutive match on the strength of a team-high four goals from Alexis Kiefer.

Noelle Boyd, freshman Jacqueline Glassey (Kildeer, Ill.), Anna Dennison, freshmen Camille Patton (Canton, Ohio) and Anjali Silverheels (Hamburg, N.Y.) and Abby McMullen added three, three, two, two, one and one goals, respectively, for Akron.

The Zips also benefited from two assists from Glassey and one each courtesy of Boyd, Dennison, Kiefer, redshirt freshmen Sarah Pattison (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Silverheels.

GK Abby Lerch garnered the victory in net for Akron with 11 saves, including nine in the second half, while Ashley Lapp registered a first-half save for the Zips.

The Titans scored the first two tallies in the match before the Zips netted the next four goals to assume an 4-2 lead at the 5:12 mark after a tally from Boyd.

Akron followed collecting three of the next four goals to extend its advantage to 7-3 after a Kiefer found the back of the net at the 12:18 mark.

The Zips led at the intermission by four, 11-7, despite being outshot in the initial stanza, 15-14.

Detroit scored the first two goals of the second half before Akron responded with tallies from McMullen and Glassey at the 10:54 and 12:08 marks, respectively, to lead 13-9.

The Zips extended their advantage to as many as five goals en route to notching the triumph.

A dominant first-half performance propelled Akron to a decisive 17-6 triumph over rival Kent State in MAC action on April 20 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

On the strength of the victory, the Zips picked up a coveted half point in the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge. Akron now leads the series, 5.0-4.0.

Kiefer directed the offensive exploits for the Zips with a game-high five goals. Dennison, Glassey, Boyd, Silverheels, Pattison and McMullen added three, three, two, two, one and one goals, respectively, for Akron.

The Zips also benefited from three assists each from McMullen and Pattison and two apiece courtesy of Boyd and Glassey.

Lapp registered 10 saves for Akron.

The Golden Flashes scored the initial tally in the match before the Zips scored the next eight goals to assume an 8-1 lead at the 20:01 mark after a tally from Dennison.

Akron held a 9-2 advantage at halftime on the strength of a 20-7 advantage in first-half shots.

The Zips continued their dominating effort in the second half scoring six of the final seven goals in the match to triumph past Kent State.

UP NEXT:
Akron begins preparations for its 2022 campaign.

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Players Mentioned

Noelle Boyd

Anna Dennison

Julia Frombach

Jacqueline Glassey

Alexis Kiefer

Kaija Kunttu

Ashley Lapp

Abby Lerch

Abby McMullen

Sarah Pattison

Camille Patton

Kaylee Riggins

Madeline Shewbridge

Anjali Silverheels

The University of Akron Athletics