No. 20 Akron Hosts Cleveland State

DIGITAL TICKETING INFORMATION | CLEAR BAG POLICY

No. 20 Akron (8-2-4) vs. Cleveland State (9-2-3)
Tuesday, Oct. 25
FirstEnergy Stadium
Akron, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Akron Leads 40-11-3
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com

DIGITAL TICKETING
As part of our ongoing effort to enhance our fan experience and improve safety at all of our venues, we are excited to deliver a convenient way for fans to access tickets and parking passes for every Akron home event directly on their smartphone.

GoZips.com/Tickets will be the easiest and most convenient way for fans to access their Zips ticket account. To save time at the venue, fans are encouraged to save tickets and parking to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay apps prior to arrival on game day.

GoZips.com/Tickets is the easiest way for a fan to access their tickets and parking on their mobile browser and log in with their email or Zips tickets account number and password. At that point fans will be able to manage their online account from their smartphone.

WHAT'S AHEAD
The 20th-rated University of Akron men's soccer team welcomes Cleveland State to FirstEnergy Stadium for a non-conference showdown on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The 7 p.m. tilt with the Vikings will be broadcast on ESPN+.

HEAD COACHES
Cleveland State: Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Akron, 2006), Overall Record: 30-22-4 (Fourth Season), Record at Cleveland State: 30-22-4 (Fourth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 168-73-32 (14th Season), Record at Akron: 121-52-24 (10th Season)

SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE
Cleveland State comes into play on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 9-2-3 on the campaign, including a 5-1-1 record in the Horizon League, following a 1-1 draw at Loyola on Wednesday, Oct. 19.

Junior Bojan Kolevski leads the Vikings in goals (8), points (19) and shots on goal (22), while senior Pablo Kawecki has added seven goals and paces the squad in shots (50) and game-winners (3). Senior GK Omeed Naeemy has pulled in 27 saves en route to posting a 0.89 goals against average and five shutouts.

As a team, the Vikings are ranked 17th in the NCAA in winning percentage (.750), 34th in scoring offense (1.93) and shutout percentage (.429), 38th in total goals (27) and goal differential (12), 40th in shots per game (14.00), 41st points per outing (5.43) and 45th in total points (76).

Individually, Kawecki is rated eighth in shots per game (3.57), 15th in game-winning goals (3), 31st in shots on goal per tilt (1.43), 41st in total goals (7) and 49th in total points (17), while Kolevski is ranked 17th in shots on goal per match (1.57), 20th in total goals (8), 24th in shot accuracy (.564), 28th in total points (19), 35th in goals per game (0.57) and 36th in points per outing (1.36). Additionally, Naeemy is 30th in shutouts (5).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Cleveland State are meeting for the 55th time in program history with the Zips owning a 40-11-3 series advantage, including winning 19 of the last 21 overall. In the previous encounter between the two schools, the Zips recorded a 4-0 triumph over the Vikings on Oct. 26, 2021, at FirstEnergy Stadium.

AKRON VERSUS HORIZON LEAGUE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Horizon League for the second time this season and 143rd time overall.
• Akron owns a 104-29-9 (.764) all-time record versus the current 12 members of the Horizon League.
• Earlier this season, the Zips registered a 5-1 home victory over Wright State on Sept. 2, 2022.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 26, 2021 - AKRON, OHIO)
Akron junior Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.) registered his first career multi-goal effort to spark the Zips to a 4-0 non-conference triumph over Cleveland State on Oct. 26, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Fitzgerald earned the brace collecting goals in the 16th (15:23) and 36th (35:55) minutes, respectively, while Carlo Ritaccio and junior Ryan Kingsford (Herne Bay, England) added second-half tallies for Akron at the 50:27 and 60:05 marks.

Sophomore Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) directed the Zips' offensive efforts with a game-high six shots, as part of an overall 14-3 edge in shots for Akron on the evening.

GK Will Meyer recorded one save for the Zips to garner Akron's sixth shutout of the season.

OWNING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER
The recent successes of the Akron men's soccer program over the past 16 seasons (2007-present) can be attributed to its play in the month of October. Since the start of the 2007 campaign, the Zips own a 82-16-13 (.797) ledger in the month, including a 45-7-6 (.828) mark in matches at FirstEnergy Stadium.

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.747), with an overall record of 231-65-40. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 221-71-38 (.727), Maryland, 219-69-48 (.723), North Carolina, 208-75-50 (.700) and Creighton, 204-82-37 (.689). 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 their last 12 NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 1961, the Zips have advanced to the NCAA postseason 34 times, including 18 of the past 21 seasons.

CLAPIER AND SANGWA EARN TDS TOP-100 MIDSEASON HONORS
Akron's Dyson Clapier and Joel Sangwa were named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Midseason Top-100 men's soccer squad. Clapier and Sangwa were tabbed No. 16 and No. 47, respectively.

BUDLER AND KAMDEM GARNER TDS TOP-100 MIDSEASON FRESHMEN ACCOLADES
Akron's Mitch Budler and Ashton Kamdem were named by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its Midseason Top-100 Freshmen men's soccer squad. Budler and Kamdem were tabbed No. 8 and No. 18, respectively.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Four of the eight matches between Akron and Cleveland State with head coach Jared Embick on the Zips' sideline have resulted in a shutout, including four of the last six, with the Zips owning a 6-2-0 mark in those contests.
• The Zips have outscored Cleveland State, 87-29 all-time in 30 home games against the Vikings.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 36 all-time meetings with Cleveland State.
• Twenty-five of the matches between the Zips and Vikings have resulted in a shutout with Akron owning a 20-3-2 mark in those contests.
• Akron has scored three or more goals in seven of its 14 games this season.
• The Zips are rated fourth in the NCAA in total assists (41), assists per game (2.93) and points per outing (8.07), fifth in total goals (36) and total points (113), sixth in scoring offense (2.57), 12th in shot accuracy (.497), 15th in goal differential (20), 27th in winning percentage (.714) and 40th in shots on goal per contest (6.14).
• Individually, Dyson Clapier is ranked 15th in the country in game-winning goals (3) and 22nd in shot accuracy (.571). Additionally, GK Mitch Budler is ranked 27th in minutes played (1260:00) and 30th in shutouts (5).
• Thirteen different Zips have scored a goal this season, including five newcomers.
• Twenty Zips have registered a shot this season, including seven newcomers. A year ago 19 different Akron players recorded a shot, including five newcomers.
• The Zips are 2-2-2 versus ranked teams this season following a 1-0 victory over No. 24 Duquesne (Sept. 28), a 1-0 setback at No. 18 Penn State (Sept. 25), 3-3 draw at No. 3 Pitt (Sept. 19), 3-3 draw versus No. 22 Ohio State (Sept. 13), a 2-0 loss at Indiana (Sept. 9) and a 5-3 victory past No. 18 FIU (Aug. 25).

UP NEXT
Akron travels to DeKalb, Ill., for a key Mid-American Conference showdown at Northern Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ET.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mitch Budler

Dyson Clapier

Johnny Fitzgerald

Ashton Kamdem

Ryan Kingsford

Will Meyer

Carlo Ritaccio

Joel Sangwa

Jason Shokalook

The University of Akron Athletics