Akron Opens Homestand Battling Robert Morris

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No. 19 Akron (2-0-0) vs. Robert Morris (0-2-0)
Friday, Sept. 3
FirstEnergy Stadium
Akron, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 8-1-0
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The 19th-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team is set to open a three-game homestand as the Zips welcome Robert Morris to FirstEnergy Stadium on Friday, Sept. 3. The 7 p.m. showdown with the Colonials will be broadcast on ESPN3 with David Bacon calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Robert Morris: Jason O'Keefe (Greensboro, 1997), Overall Record: 30-38-15 (Sixth Season)/Robert Morris Record: 1-8-1 (Second Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 153-65-25 (15th Season)/Akron Record: 106-44-17 (Ninth Season)

SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS
Robert Morris enters action on Friday, Sept. 3, after opening its campaign with 2-0 setback versus West Virginia on Aug. 26 and a 3-2 double-overtime loss at Duquesne on Sunday, Aug. 29.

The Colonials are led offensively from freshmen Gal Ben Dayan and Owen Jowett, who own a goal apiece for Robert Morris. Freshman goalkeeper Friedrich Petrelli and junior Mike Zolnierczyk have shared the duties in net for the Colonials combining to register 12 saves.

SERIES HISTORY
Akron is encountering Robert Morris for the 10th time in program history with the Zips owning a 8-1-0 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron earned a 1-0 victory over the Colonials on Sept. 8, 2006 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

AKRON VERSUS THE HORIZON LEAGUE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Horizon League for the second time this season and 124th time overall.
• Akron owns a 86-28-9 (.734) all-time record versus the current 10 members of the Horizon League.
• In their last encounter with a school from the Horizon League, the Zips posted a 7-1 triumph past Wright State on Aug. 26.

AKRON EARNS A 2-1 WIN AT MICHIGAN STATE
University of Akron men's soccer freshman Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) capped a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Michigan State on Monday, Aug. 30, scoring the game-winning goal for the Zips with 25 seconds remaining in regulation.

The tally was the second in as many games for Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal, who fired a laser to the back of the net from 15 yards out off an assist from senior Diogo Pacheco (Lisbon, Portugal), his second assist of the night.

The triumph was the Akron's second consecutive 2-1 victory on the Spartans' home pitch at DeMartin Stadium and served as the fifth straight win overall past Michigan State.

After not securing a shot in the opening 45 minutes of play, the Zips came out on the attack in the second half and registered a 10-7 edge in shots, including a 3-1 margin in shots on goal. Akron and Michigan State concluded the evening with 10 shots apiece.

The opening half proved to be a defensive battle as Michigan State edged the Zips in first-half shots, 3-0, including posting the only shot on goal in the opening stanza.

The Spartans broke the stalemate in the 63rd minute (62:29) when Michael Miller floated a ball over senior goalkeeper Will Meyer's (Solon, Ohio) shoulder to give Michigan State a 1-0 lead.

Pacheco narrowly missed leveling the game at one at the 70:17 mark as his strike from the center of the box was inches off finding the corner of the net off passes from freshmen Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal.

Akron continued to attack the offensive third before finally breaking through with when freshman Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) netted the equalizer in the 79th minute (78:26) courtesy of an assist from Pacheco.

Meyer was stout in net for Akron in the match recording one save, while Hunter Morse collected a pair of stops for Michigan State.

Pacheco directed the Zips' offensive efforts recording a team-high three shots, while Shokalook and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal garnered two shots each. Miller led the Spartans with a game-high five shots.

ZIPS OPEN CAMPAIGN DOWNING WRIGHT STATE, 7-1
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 Dyson Clapier, Kingsford, Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) along with junior Renato Kauzlaric (Zagreb, Croatia), redshirt sophomore Ivan Nikolic (Toronto, Ontario) and Diogo Pacheco 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.

CLAPIER NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dyson Clapier was recognized by the Mid-American Conference as its Men's Soccer Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday, Aug. 30.

Clapier turned in a dominating performance in the Zips' season-opening 7-1 victory over Wright State on Aug. 26. He opened the scoring in the contest connecting on his first goal of the season at the 15:23 mark.

Clapier then assisted on Renato Kauzlaric's goal in the 52nd minute (51:28) as well as the second goal of the evening for Ryan Kingsford at the 64:58 mark. He finished the game with a game-high five shots, including two on goal.

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 Sept. 2) (.760), with an overall record of 216-57-33. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 196-61-37 (.730), Maryland, 201-63-42 (.725), North Carolina, 193-65-45 (.711) and Creighton, 190-75-28 (.696). 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
• Eight of the nine meetings between Akron and Robert Morris have resulted in a shutout with the Zips owning a 7-1 mark in those contests.
• Akron is 6-0 all-time versus Robert Morris on its home pitch having outscored the Colonials by a 13-0 margin.
• Four of the nine matches between Akron and Robert Morris have been decided by a goal or less, with the Zips going 3-1 in those games.
• The Zips and Colonials are meeting for the first time since a 1-0 victory by Akron on Sept. 8, 2006.
• Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal became the first Zip to score in back-to-back games since Diogo Pacheco did so last season at Kentucky and versus Marshall.
• Diogo Pacheco's two-assist effort in a 2-1 win at Michigan State allowed him to join Dyson Clapier and Johnny Fitzgerald with multiple assists in a game for Akron this season. Clapier and Fitzgerald did so in a 7-1 triumph over Wright State on Aug. 26.
• 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 77 games.
• Twelve Zips have registered a shot this season, including seven newcomers.
• Akron leads the NCAA in assists (10), goals (9), assists per game (5.00) and winning percentage (1.000), while rating second in points per contest (14.00), scoring offense (4.50) and goal differential (+7).
• Dyson Clapier, Johnny Fitzgerald and Diogo Pacheco are ranked seventh in the NCAA in assists (2) and assists per game (1.0), while Ryan Kingsford and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal are rated seventh in game-winning goals (1.0), 12th in goals (2) and 16th in goals per tilt (1.0).
• Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal is ranked 16th in the NCAA in total points (5), while Dyson Clapier, Ryan Kingsford and Diogo Pacheco are rated 27th (4).
• Akron owned a 1-0-1 mark against ranked squads in 2020, including handing eventual national champion Marshall a 2-1 overtime setback on March 2, 2021.
• Diogo Pacheco lead Akron in goals (3), points (6), shots (18) and shots on goal (10) this spring.
• Diogo Pacheco is Akron's active career leaders in goals (11), points (28), shots (72) and shots on goal (33). Will Jackson paces the team in game-winning goals (3), while Daniel Strachan has appeared in a team-high 77 games.
• The Zips own a 106-44-17 mark over the last nine seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 106 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 74 of the squad's last 130 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 24 of its last 48 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 62-11-6 record in its last 79 home matches.
• The Zips ranked 12th nationally in average attendance in 2019 averaging 1,665 fans per game. In 2018, Akron ranked 16th in the country averaging 1,419 for nine home games. In 2016 and 2017, the Zips rated 10th nationally in attendance averaging 2,147 and 1,819 fans per contest, respectively.

UP NEXT
Akron returns to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt against No. 3 Pitt on Monday, Sept. 6.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Dyson Clapier

Johnny Fitzgerald

Will Jackson

Renato Kauzlaric

Ryan Kingsford

Will Meyer

Ivan Nikolic

Diogo Pacheco

Jason Shokalook

Daniel Strachan

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal

The University of Akron Athletics