Akron Set to Open Campaign Hosting Dayton

Thursday, August 19

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Dayton

August 18 | Women's Soccer

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AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's soccer team opens its 2021 campaign this week with a pair of matches versus Dayton and at Ohio State. The Zips will battle the Flyers in a 7 p.m. contest on Thursday, Aug. 19 at FirstEnergy Stadium, before traveling to Columbus to face the Buckeyes on Sunday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m.

Aug. 19 vs. Dayton | 7 p.m. | FirstEnergy Stadium | Akron, Ohio
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com

Aug. 22 at Ohio State | 6 p.m. | Jesse Owens Stadium | Columbus, Ohio
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com; Live Stream: www.GoZips.com

SCOUTING AKRON:
Akron is set to return eight starters in 2021, including four of its top-five goal scorers led by junior Sydney Worthy (Groveport, Ohio), who posted team-high marks in goals (3), points (8), shots (13) and game-winners (2). Tallying one goal each for the Zips was redshirt junior Aislinn Meaney (Ennis, Ireland), junior Carly Pcholinsky (South Park, Pa.) and freshman Annabel Thomas (Canonsburg, Pa.). Sophomore GK Vanessa Berlin (Gau-Oderheim, Germany) returns for Akron after starting six games this past spring and recording 35 saves.

Akron is led by seventh-year head coach Noreen Herlihy, who maintains a 31-62-14 ledger at the helm of the Zips' program, and a 281-175-44 mark in 27 campaigns overall as a head coach.

SCOUTING DAYTON:
Dayton enters plays this Thursday, Aug. 19, on the heels of a 7-6-1 record during the 2021 spring campaign, including a 4-3-1 mark in the Atlantic-10 Conference.

The Flyers return their top-four leading goal scorers from a year ago in sophomores Itala Gemelli and Madison Wilson, junior Marlee Taylor and sophomore Diana Benigno. The quartet recorded nine, three, two and two goals, respectively. Among Dayton's returning players, Gemelli paced the squad in goals (9), points (19), shots (39), shots on goal (20) and game-winners (3). Junior goalkeeper Madelyn Dewey posted 46 saves on the strength of a 1.29 goals against average in 14 games this past spring.

Dayton is led by fifth-year head coach Eric Golz, who owns a 31-33-8 mark at the helm of the Flyers' program, while maintaining a career mark of 51-49-13 in six years as a head coach.

	DAYTON	AKRON
Overall Record	7-6-1	3-5-1
Conference Record	4-3-1	3-5-1
Goals	23	8
Goals-Shot Attempts	23-186	8-71
Goals Per Game	1.64	0.89
Assists	24	8
Shots	186	71
Shot on Goal	87	34
Shots Percentage	.124	.113
Shots on Goal Per Game	.468	.479
Shots Per Game	13.3	7.9
Corner Kicks	57	35
Opponent Corner Kicks	44	35
Penalty Kicks	2-3	0-1
Opponent Penalty Kicks	3-3	1-1

SCOUTING OHIO STATE:
Ohio State enters play against the Zips on Sunday, Aug. 22, on the strength of an 8-3-3 record this past spring, including a 6-1-3 mark in the Big Ten Conference, en route to advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes, who open their season at BYU on Thursday, Aug. 19, defeated Stony Brook in the opening round of the 2020 NCAA Tournament, 5-1, before falling to eventual national champion Santa Clara, 4-1, in the second round.

Ohio State returns its top-four leading goal scorers from the spring in junior Emma Sears, sophomore Peyton McNamara, senior Kayla Fischer and sophomore Kine Flotre, as the quartet registered seven, six, five and three goals, respectively. Sears paced the Buckeyes in goals (7), points (17) and game-winners (3), while Fischer directed the squad in shots (52) and shots on goal (24). Senior goalkeeper Bailey Kolinski recorded 59 saves on the campaign for Ohio State on the strength of a 1.11 goals against average and three shutouts.

The Buckeyes are led by 24th-year head coach Lori Walker-Hock, who maintains a 275-202-53 ledger at the helm of the Ohio State program, while owning a 299-216-55 record in 26 seasons as a head coach.

	OHIO STATE	AKRON
Overall Record	8-3-3	3-5-1
Conference Record	6-1-3	3-5-1
Goals	27	8
Goals-Shot Attempts	27-198	8-71
Goals Per Game	1.93	0.89
Assists	28	8
Shots	198	71
Shot on Goal	94	34
Shots Percentage	.136	.113
Shots on Goal Per Game	.475	.479
Shots Per Game	14.1	7.9
Corner Kicks	68	35
Opponent Corner Kicks	51	35
Penalty Kicks	0-0	0-1
Opponent Penalty Kicks	0-0	1-1

SERIES HISTORY:
The Zips will square off against Dayton for the third time in program with the Flyers owning a 2-0 all-time series lead.

Akron and Ohio State are meeting for the second time in program history with the Buckeyes besting the Zips, 3-0, on Sept. 5, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio in the lone encounter between the two schools.

LAST GAME:
A short-handed University of Akron women's soccer team capped its spring campaign with a 3-2 road triumph past Miami on April 11 on the strength of a two-goal performance from Sydney Worthy.

The Zips earned the victory despite being outshot in the affair, 18-10, including 11-7 on net.

Worthy and Aislinn Meaney highlighted Akron's offensive efforts with a game-high four shots apiece, including three and two strikes on goal, respectively. Jaimie Tottleben led the RedHawks with a team- and game-best four shots.

GK Vanessa Berlin registered seven saves in net for Akron, while Izzie Vaccari made four stops for Miami.

Worthy opened the scoring in the affair connecting on her second goal of the season off an assist from Ryley Watt at the 10:48 mark.

The Zips withstood the RedHawks connecting on the next seven shots in the game, with Berlin making a pair of saves and Akron defenders clearing a pair of strikes off the line for two team saves.

In her first collegiate start, freshman Julia Kressig (Sargans, Switzerland) registered her initial shot as a Zip, a strike on frame, in the 31st minute (30:40) that was saved by Vaccari.

Meaney tallied Akron's fourth shot on goal in the first half at the 34:23 mark, but her attempt was thwarted by a stop from Vaccari.

Miami leveled the score at one in the 37th minute (36:20) when Desiree Grubbs found the back of the net with a goal off assists from Kristina DeMarco and Kyleigh von Klahr.

The Zips regained the advantage, 2-1, at the 59:16 when Meaney delivered her first goal of the season. Worthy earned the assist on the tally for Akron.

Just over two minutes later in the 62nd minute (61:42), Worthy scored what proved to be the game-winning goal as part of her second career multi-goal performance.

Berlin remained stellar in net for the Zips recording saves at the 67:00, 79:22 and 80:22 marks, respectively.

The RedHawks cut the deficit to one, 3-2, on a goal from Soph Spinelli in the 86th minute (85:49) with an assist to Grubbs.

Worthy added one final shot on goal for the Zips at the 88:29 mark, a strike that was saved by Vaccari.

UP NEXT:
Akron opens a three-game homestand at FirstEnergy Stadium hosting Cleveland State (Aug. 29), Wright State (Sept. 2) and Marshall (Sept. 5).