Akron Closes Campaign with Pair of Road Tilts

Follow Akron Women's Soccer on Facebook and Twitter

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's soccer team closes out its 2021 spring campaign this week with a pair of road matches at Buffalo and Miami. The Zips will battle the Bulls in a 7 p.m. contest on Thursday, April 7, before facing the RedHawks in the season finale on Sunday, April 11, at 1 p.m.

April 8 at Buffalo | 7 p.m. | UB Stadium | Buffalo, N.Y.
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com; Live Stream: www.GoZips.com

April 11 at Miami | 1 p.m. | Bobby Kramig Field | Oxford, Ohio
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com; Live Stream: www.GoZips.com

ZIPS HONOR THREE SENIORS:
Akron honored a trio of players in seniors Annamarie Alfery (Cheswick, Pa.), Anya Donelan (Warrington, England) and Ryley Watt (Irwin, Pa.) prior to the Zips' home finale on Sunday, April 4 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

SCOUTING AKRON:
On the heels of the second consecutive shutout victory by the Zips, a 2-0 decision past Ohio on Sunday, April 4, Akron ventures on the road seeking to extend its winning streak as the squad opens weekend action at Buffalo on Thursday, April 8.

Junior Sydney Worthy (Groveport, Ohio) leads Akron in goals (1), points (3), shots (8) and game-winners (1), while ranking second in assists (1) and third in shots on goal (2). Sophomore GK's Vanessa Berlin (Gau-Oderheim, Germany) and Libby Harper (Hatfield, England) have combined to poste 31 saves and a trio of shutouts.

Akron is led by sixth-year head coach Noreen Herlihy, who maintains a 30-62-14 ledger at the helm of the Zips' program, and a 280-175-44 mark in 26 campaigns overall as a head coach.

SCOUTING BUFFALO:
Buffalo enters plays this Thursday, April 8, unbeaten in its last five contests, following a 4-0 home triumph past Miami on March 28.

Senior Marcy Barberic leads the Bulls' offensive efforts having recorded team-high marks in goals (6), points (13), shots (27) and shots on goal (15). Junior goalkeeper Emily Kelly has amassed 19 saves en route to owning a 0.49 goals against average on the strength of three total shutouts.

Buffalo is led by seventh-year head coach Shawn Burke, who maintains a 65-44-18 ledger at the helm of the Bulls' program.

	BUFFALO	AKRON
Overall Record	4-1-1	2-4-1
Conference Record	4-1-1	2-4-1
Goals	13	3
Goals-Shot Attempts	13-96	3-55
Goals Per Game	2.17	0.43
Assists	13	3
Shots	96	55
Shot on Goal	43	21
Shots Percentage	.135	.055
Shots on Goal Per Game	.448	.382
Shots Per Game	16.0	7.9
Corner Kicks	23	29
Opponent Corner Kicks	24	22
Penalty Kicks	2-2	0-1
Opponent Penalty Kicks	0-1	0-0

SCOUTING MIAMI:
Miami enters play against the Zips with a 4-3 ledger as the squad returns to the pitch after a 10-day layoff that saw a pair of games postponed for the RedHawks following a 2-1 victory past Ohio on April 1.

Junior Kristina DeMarco paces the RedHawks with team-best marks in goals (3) and points (7), while freshman Haley Anspach leads Miami in assists (2), shots (12), shots on goal (8) and game-winners (1). Junior goalkeeper Izzie Vaccari has amassed 40 saves on the campaign for Miami.

The RedHawks are led by third-year head coach Courtney Sirmans, who maintains a 11-29-2 ledger at the helm of the Miami program.

	MIAMI	AKRON
Overall Record	4-3-0	2-4-1
Conference Record	4-3-0	2-4-1
Goals	8	3
Goals-Shot Attempts	8-53	3-55
Goals Per Game	1.14	0.43
Assists	9	3
Shots	53	55
Shot on Goal	33	21
Shots Percentage	.151	.055
Shots on Goal Per Game	.623	.382
Shots Per Game	7.6	7.9
Corner Kicks	19	29
Opponent Corner Kicks	31	22
Penalty Kicks	0-1	0-1
Opponent Penalty Kicks	3-4	0-0

SERIES HISTORY:
The Zips will square off against Buffalo for the 21st time in program history with Akron leading the all-time series 9-8-3. The two teams battled to a 0-0 draw at FirstEnergy Stadium earlier this season on March 18.

Akron and Miami are meeting for the 24th time in program history with the RedHawks leading the all-time series 12-8-3. Miami bested the Zips, 1-0, on March 21 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

LAST GAME:
On the strength of goals in each half, the University of Akron women's soccer team registered it second straight triumph as the Zips earned a 2-0 decision past Ohio on Senior Day at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday, April 4.

Sophomore Lucia Lobato (Taylors Hills, Ireland) scored what proved to be the game-winning tally for the Zips at the 18:26 mark, while junior Carly Pcholinsky (South Park, Pa.) added a goal in the 84th minute (83:52). Lobato's tally represented the first collegiate goal in her Akron career.

The Bobcats finished the contest earning a 12-11 advantage in shots, including an 8-5 margin in shots on goal.

Pcholinsky registered a career- and game-high five shots for the Zips, including equaling a career-best three shots on goal. Junior Sydney Ward (Connellsville, Pa.) and Sydney Worthy added two shots apiece for Akron. Izzi Boyd led Ohio with a team-high four shots.

GK Vanessa Berlin recorded a career-high eight saves in net for the Zips to post her first collegiate solo shutout. Sam Wexell made three stops in goal for the Bobcats.

The Zips took a 1-0 lead at the 18:26 mark when Lobato headed home a ball served in off a corner kick by freshman Sarah Nguyen (Irwin, Pa.) for her first goal of the season.

Akron maintained the advantage at the intermission outshooting Ohio in the initial stanza, 6-5.

Berlin continued her stellar play in the second half as she pulled in five saves over the game's final period.

Pcholinsky registered a flurry of back-to-back-to-back shots on goal in the 84th minute before pushing the ball over the line off an assist from Worthy at the 83:52 mark.

IN OUR LAST MEETING VS. BUFFALO (March 18, 2021 - Akron, Ohio):
Akron garnered a league result battling Buffalo to a 0-0 double-overtime draw in Mid-American Conference action on March 18 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Zips and Bulls each registered seven shots in the affair, with Buffalo posting a 5-2 edge in shots on goal.

Redshirt junior Aislinn Meaney (Ennis, Ireland) and Sarah Nguyen led Akron's offensive attack registering a team-high two shots apiece, with both of Meaney's striking falling on goal. Marcy Barberic paced the Bulls' efforts collecting a game-high three shots.

In her season debut, GK Libby Harper garnered a clean-sheet triumph on the strength of five saves. Emily Kelly posted a pair of stops for Buffalo.

The Zips' initial shot in the affair came on net as Meaney's strike at the 23:12 mark was thwarted by a save from Kelly.

Harper notched four of her five saves in the affair in an opening half when the Bulls earned a 4-2 edge in shots.

Meaney added her second shot on goal at the 55:57 mark, also stopped by Kelly.

The Zips posted a pair of shots in the initial overtime period, while neither side garnered a shot in the second overtime session.

IN OUR LAST MEETING VS. MIAMI (March 21, 2021 - Akron, Ohio):
Akron controlled the pace of play and statistically dominated Miami in Mid-American Conference action, but a first-half goal held up as the RedHawks posted a 1-0 triumph past the Zips on March 21 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Jaimie Tottleben scored what proved to be the game-winning tally in the 12th minute (11:33) off an assist from Kristina DeMarco.

Akron registered a 12-2 advantage in second-half shots en route to outshooting Miami on the afternoon, 14-7, including a 6-3 margin in shots on goal.

Redshirt junior Charley Kale (Sylvania, Ohio), freshman Annabel Thomas (Canonsburg, Pa.) and Sydney Worthy directed the Zips' offensive attack recording a match-high three shots apiece.

Libby Harper was again solid in net for Akron making a pair of saves, while Izzie Vaccari was stout in goal for the RedHawks making six stops.

Carly Pcholinsky registered the first shot of the game for the Zips at the 1:41 mark, a strike that was saved by Vaccari.

Harper denied a shot in the sixth minute (5:01), before the RedHawks were able to find the back of the net at the 11:33 mark for a goal by Tottleben.

Sarah Nguyen added a shot on goal in the 35th minute (34:13) for Akron that was stopped for a save by Vaccari.

The Zips opened the second half with consecutive shots on goal from redshirt junior Aislinn Meaney (Ennis, Ireland) and Kale at the 45:42 and 46:27 marks, respectively.

A high-arching save by Harper in the 60th minute (59:48) denied a Miami goal.

Worthy had each of her three shots over a nearly four-minute span blocked in the box, before Vaccari again thwarted the Zips with a save of a strike from Thomas at the 67:50 mark.

After Akron had its next three shots again denied by blocks in the box, the RedHawks were whistled for a foul in the box that resulted in a penalty kick for the Zips. Lucia Lobato stepped to the line attempting to net the equalizer, but her shot was denied by a diving save from Vaccari.

Sophomore Bailee Bowers (Dublin, Ohio) nearly squared the game at one with a header at the 87:20 mark that went just wide of the net.

BERLIN AND PCHOLINSKY EARN MAC EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES:
University of Akron women's soccer GK Vanessa Berlin and Carly Pcholinsky were recognized by the Mid-American Conference as its East Division Women's Soccer Players of the Week, the league announced on Wednesday, April 7.

Berlin was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Week, while Pcholinsky captured Offensive Player of the Week accolades.

The Akron duo helped spark the Zips to a 2-0 home triumph past Ohio on Sunday, April 4 at FirstEnergy Stadium on Senior Night.

Berlin was stellar in goal for Akron recording a career-high eight saves in net for the Zips to post her first collegiate solo shutout. Five of her eight saves came in the second half.

Pcholinsky directed Akron's offensive efforts registering a second-half goal on the strength of a career- and game-high five shots, including equaling a career-best three shots on goal.

Pcholinsky registered a flurry of back-to-back-to-back shots on goal in the 84th minute before pushing the ball over the line off an assist from Sydney Worthy at the 83:52 mark for her first goal of the season.

UP NEXT:
This weekend marks the end of the 2021 spring campaign for Akron.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Annamarie Alfery

Vanessa Berlin

Bailee Bowers

Anya Donelan

Libby Harper

Charley Kale

Lucia Lobato

Aislinn Meaney

Sarah Nguyen

Carly Pcholinsky

Annabel Thomas

Sydney Ward

Ryley Watt

Sydney Worthy

The University of Akron Athletics