Akron Travels to Battle Michigan State

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Akron (1-0-0) at Michigan State (1-0-0)
Monday, Aug. 30
DeMartin Stadium
East Lansing, Mich. • 7 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 30-13-12
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron men's soccer team hits the road for the first time this season traveling to East Lansing, Mich., to square off against Michigan State on Monday, Aug. 30. The 7 p.m. showdown with the Spartans will be broadcast on Big Ten+.

HEAD COACHES
Michigan State: Damon Rensing (Michigan State, 1997), Overall Record: 125-85-33 (12th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 152-65-25 (15th Season)/Akron Record: 105-44-17 (Ninth Season)

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State enters action on Monday, Aug. 30, after opening its campaign with a 2-1 triumph past Cleveland State on Thursday, Aug. 26.

The Spartans received goals from junior Gianni Ferri and senior Michael Miller against the Vikings, while senior Farai Mutatu registered a team-high four shots, including two on goal. Senior goalkeeper Hunter Morse notched six saves for Michigan State against Cleveland State.

The contest will be a reunion of sorts for Spartan assistant coach TJ Kolba, who served as an assistant coach at Akron under head coach Jared Embick from 2015-19.

SERIES HISTORY
Akron is encountering Michigan State for the 56th time in program history with the Zips owning a 30-13-12 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron earned a 2-0 victory over the Spartans on Oct. 15, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

AKRON VERSUS BIG TEN CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Big Ten Conference for the first time this season and 190th time overall.
• Akron owns a 104-68-17 (.595) all-time record versus the current 14 members of the Big Ten Conference.
• The Zips have gone 22-5-4 against the league since 2012.
• In all, Akron is 39-10-7 (.755) versus teams from the Big Ten since 2007. During that time, the Zips have out-scored the competition, 109-46.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 15, 2019 - AKRON, OHIO)
Akron garnered goals from sophomore Will Jackson (Hudson, Ohio) and David Egbo en route to notching a 2-0 victory over Michigan State on Oct. 15, 2019 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Jackson scored what proved to be the game-winning tally in the 38th minute (37:08), while Egbo delivered a spectacular goal from 37 yards out at the 56:06 mark.

The Zips earned their second shutout of the season on the strength of a 14-10 advantage in shots on the evening, including a 5-1 edge on shots on goal.

Egbo and Jackson directed the Akron offensive attack recording four and three shots, respectively, while senior Daniel Strachan (Lakewood, Ohio) and Mani Austmann added two shots apiece. Leading the charge for Michigan State with a team-high three shots was Farai Mutatu.

Earning the clean sheet for the Zips was Joe Bowles, who finished the contest making one save. Hunter Morse concluded the evening with three stops in goal for the Spartans.

The match began as a defensive battle as neither side yielded a shot until Jackson narrowly missed giving Akron an early 1-0 lead at the 10:12 mark with a strike off a pass from Christian Lue Young that just missed finding the corner of the net.

Bowles denied the lone shot on goal for the Spartans in the tilt, a shot by Connor George in the 25th minute (24:46).

The game-winning tally was set-up by a strong feed by Egbo into the box to Jackson at the 37:06 mark, one resulting in a shot that was deflected by Morse for a save. Jackson immediately corralled the rebound and struck a laser that found the top of the net for his second goal of the season.

Henrique Cruz leveled a shot from inside the top of the box in the 41st minute (40:50) that only a diving save by Morse prevented him from finding the back of the net..

The Zips registered a 6-4 edge in first-half shots, including a 3-1 margin in shots on goal.

Egbo came within inches of netting an Akron goal at the 50:37 mark getting behind Morse and striking a ball that pinged off the post before being cleared out of danger by the Spartans' defense.

The Zips continued to assault Michigan State's defensive third as Akron registered four consecutive corners at the 53:53, 54:18, 54:52 and 55:11 marks, respectively.

The effort was rewarded as Egbo connected on a perfectly-placed shot from 30 yards out in the 57th minute (56:06) that found the top of the net to extend the Zips' lead to 2-0.

Skye Harter delivered Akron's final shot on net on the evening at the 78:08 mark, an attempt that was denied by a save from Morse.

ZIPS OPEN CAMPAIGN WITH 7-1 WIN OVER WRIGHT STATE
The University of Akron men's soccer team opened its 2021 fall campaign in dominating fashion on Thursday, Aug. 26 at FirstEnergy Stadium as freshman Ryan Kingsford (Herne Bay, England) netted a pair of goals to propel the Zips to a 7-1 triumph past Wright State.

Six different Akron players netted goals in the affair as freshmen Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah), Kingsford, Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) along with junior Renato Kauzlaric (Zagreb, Croatia), redshirt sophomore Ivan Nikolic (Toronto, Ontario) and senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal) each found the back of the net for the Zips.

Akron's seven goals represents the second-highest goal output for the Zips in a season opener in program history, only surpassed by a 10-0 triumph past Cincinnati on Sept. 6, 1975.

Akron finished the tilt owning an 18-6 edge in shots, including posting a 10-2 advantage in shots on goal.

Clapier directed the offensive efforts for the Zips registering a game-high five shots, while adding two strikes apiece was Kingsford and Nikolic. Six different Raiders recorded a shot for Wright State.

Senior goalkeeper Will Meyer (Solon, Ohio) made one save in net for Akron, while his counterpart, Bryson Najarian, collected three stops for Wright State.

Clapier opened the scoring in the 16th minute (15:23) with a strike to the upper 90 to give Akron a 1-0 lead.

Kingsford extended the Zips' advantage to 2-0 at the 32:00 mark scoring his first collegiate goal beating the keeper 1v1 for what proved to be the game-winning tally off an assist from Will Jackson.

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal garnered his first collegiate goal in the 35th minute (34:34) on a give-and-go off an assist from freshman Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) and Kauzlaric.

Nikolic extended Akron's margin to 4-0 at the 41:09 mark heading in his first collegiate tally off a free kick from the corner by Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal.

The Zips outshot Wright State in the first half, 7-3.

Kauzlaric connected on his first goal in an Akron uniform in the 52nd minute (51:28) courtesy of assists from Clapier and sophomore Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.).

Joe Kouadio spoiled the Zips' shutout bid at the 59:19 mark with his first goal of the season.

Kingsford completed scoring a brace with a tally in the 65th minute (64:58) off the second assist of the night by Clapier.

Pacheco capped the scoring efforts for Akron at the 71:13 mark securing his initial goal of the year courtesy of an assist from Fitzgerald.

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (as of games on Aug. 28) (.759), with an overall record of 215-57-33. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 195-61-37 (.729), Maryland, 200-63-42 (.725), North Carolina, 193-65-44 (.712) and Creighton, 190-74-28 (.698). Akron made 12 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament (2007-18), earning a first-round bye in eight seasons. The Zips have advanced to the NCAA's Round of 16 in eight of the last 13 years. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 33 times, including 17 of the past 20 seasons.

ZIPS TIDBITS
• Since the series between Akron and Michigan State resumed in 2009, following a 26-year gap between games, the two sides have met every year since with the exception of the 2021 spring campaign, with the Zips owning a 8-3-1 mark in those contests.
• Eight of the 12 matches between Akron and Michigan State since 2009 have been decided by a goal or less, with the Zips going 4-1-1 at FirstEnergy Stadium, outscoring the Spartans, 12-4.
• The Zips seven-goal effort versus Wright State marked the second-highest goal output in a season opener in program history, bettered only by a 10-0 triumph past Cincinnati in 1975.
• Led by a two-goal effort from Ryan Kingsford, three Akron newcomers scored goals in the Zips' 7-1 win over Wright State on Thursday, Aug. 26. Joining Kingsford was Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Renato Kauzlaric.
• Dyson Clapier and Johnny Fitzgerald each registered a pair of assists for Akron against Wright State.
• Garnering their first collegiate points in the Zips' 7-1 victory over Wright State on Aug. 26 was Renato Kauzlaric (one goal and two assists), Ryan Kingsford (two goals), Ivan Nikolic (one goal) and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (one goal and one assist).
• Daniel Strachan is the active leader among all players in men's Division I in games played having appeared in 76 games.
• Twelve Zips have registered a shot this season, including seven newcomers.
• Jason Shookalook paced a talented core of freshmen for Akron in 2020 leading the newcomers in goals (1), assists (3), points (5), shots (15), shots on goal (7) and game-winners (1).
• The Zips own a 12-12-3 mark in their last 27 matches away from home on the strength of six and three goals, respectively, from Diogo Pacheco and junior Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.). The Zips have also posted a 179-128 margin in corner kicks and a 342-312 edge in total shots.
• Diogo Pacheco is Akron's active career leaders in goals (11), points (26), shots (69) and shots on goal (33). Will Jackson paces the team in game-winning goals (3), while Daniel Strachan has appeared in a team-high 76 games.
• The Zips own a 105-44-17 mark over the last nine seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 105 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 73 of the squad's last 129 matches.

BUECHTE NAMED TO TDS PRESEASON BEST XI SQUAD
Freshman Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) was named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Preseason Best XI Freshman squad. He will be making his collegiate debut against Wright State on Thursday, Aug. 26.

HENRY HONORED BY TOPDRAWERSOCCER.COM
Freshman Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) was named by TopDrawerSoccer.com as one of the top Canadian players in men's NCAA Division I.

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The University of Akron men's soccer program will open its 67th season of intercollegiate soccer tabbed to finish second in the Mid-American Conference regular season title race in a preseason poll of seven conference coaches, the league office announced Aug. 25.

The Zips under ninth-year head coach Jared Embick were picked to finish second in the conference regular season championship race in the MAC Coaches Preseason poll with one first-place vote. West Virginia was picked as the league favorite with three first-place votes and 40 points, it was followed in the rankings by Akron (39 points), Bowling Green (38 points), Western Michigan (30 points), Northern Illinois (22 points), Georgia State (17 points) and Georgia Southern (10).

UP NEXT
Akron returns to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt against Robert Morris on Friday, Sept. 3.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jonas Buechte

Dyson Clapier

Henrique Cruz

Johnny Fitzgerald

Malik Henry

Will Jackson

Renato Kauzlaric

Ryan Kingsford

Will Meyer

Ivan Nikolic

Diogo Pacheco

Carlo Ritaccio

Jason Shokalook

Daniel Strachan

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal

The University of Akron Athletics