No. 12 Akron to Battle Western Michigan for MAC Title

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No. 12 Akron (11-2-5) vs. Western Michigan (13-2-2)
Saturday, Nov. 12
FirstEnergy Stadium
Akron, Ohio • 1 p.m.

Series History: Akron Leads 38-6-6
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 12th-rated University of Akron men's soccer team will vie for the Mid-American Conference Tournament title when the Zips host Western Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 12. The 1 p.m. tilt with the Broncos will be broadcast on ESPN+ with a link on GoZips.com.

HEAD COACHES
Western Michigan: Chad Wiseman (Western Michigan, 2007), Overall Record: 156-78-33 (14th Season), Record at Western Michigan: 103-53-27 (10th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 171-73-33 (14th Season), Record at Akron: 124-52-25 (10th Season)

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan comes into play on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 13-2-2 on the campaign, including a 5-1-2 record in the Mid-American Conference, riding a five-game unbeaten streak following a 1-1 draw with Akron on Sunday, Nov. 6.

Senior Charlie Sharp leads Western Michigan in goals (9), points (25), shots (62), shots on goal (29), while ranking second in assists (7). Senior GK Hunter Morse has pulled in 53 saves en route to posting a 0.41 goals against average and 11 shutouts.

Western Michigan is rated first in the NCAA in goals against average (.412) and save percentage (.887), while ranking third in goal differential (31), shutout percentage (.647) and winning percentage (.824), fifth in total assists (50), sixth in assists per game (2.94), 10th in points per outing (7.41) and shots on goal (7.24), 11th in shots per tilt (15.88), 12th in total points (126), 14th in corner kicks (6.76), 17th in scoring offense (2.24), 18th in total goals (38) and 46th in shot accuracy (.456).

Individually, Morse is rated first in the NCAA in goals against average (.412) and save percentage (.883), third in shutouts (10) and 43rd in goalie minutes played (1527:57), while Sharp is seventh in shots per outing (3.65), 11th in shots on goal (1.71), 15th in total points (25), 20th in points per tilt (1.47), 26th in total goals (9), 39th in goals per game (.530) and 38th in total assists (7).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Western Michigan are squaring off for 51st time in program history with the Zips owning a 39-6-5 series advantage. Earlier this season, Akron earned a 1-0 triumph past the Broncos on Oct. 13 in Kalamazoo, Mich., before battling Western Michigan to a 1-1 draw on Nov. 6.

ZIPS' MAC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Akron maintains an 36-9-5 mark in 50 matches in Mid-American Conference Championship history, including a 13-1 mark under head coach Jared Embick. The Zips are 23-2-3 in home matches at FirstEnergy Stadium in tournament play. Akron is playing in the championship round for the 20th time overall. The Zips own a 15-4-1 record in those contests.

AKRON MAC CHAMPIONSHIP TIDBITS
Senior Sam Tojaga (Erie, Pa.) is Akron's active leader in MAC Tournament games started at four, while junior Will Jackson (Hudson, Ohio) has started in one tournament match. The duo represent the only active Zips to have appeared for Akron in MAC Tournament play. Jackson and Tojaga pace the squad in shots (3) and shots on goal (1).

AKRON-WESTERN MICHIGAN MAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Zips have met Western Michigan 13 times in MAC Championship play with Akron owning a 10-1-2 mark in those encounters, including a 5-0-1 record at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Zips won the last tournament contest between the two schools, 3-0, in the championship game of the 2018 MAC Championship on Nov. 11, 2018, at the Dick Diesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown, W.Va. The two teams are meeting in the title game of the MAC Championship for the sixth time with Akron owning 6-1, 4-0, 4-1, 3-1 and 3-1 triumphs in 2004, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2018, respectively, with three of the five tilts having been played at home.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (NOV. 6, 2022 - AKRON, OHIO)
Akron captured its 21st Mid-American Conference regular season title on the strength of a 1-1 draw with Western Michigan on Sunday, Nov. 6, at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Sophomore Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) connected on his team-leading ninth goal of the season only 1:29 into the match to give Akron a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) struck a free kick from outside the 18-yard box that Shokalook headed off the far post and into the net for the goal.

The Zips maintained the advantage until the 56th minute (55:37) when Jonathan Robinson hit the same goal post and saw his shot deflect into the back of the net for the equalizer for Western Michigan.

Buechte led Akron's offensive efforts registering a team-high three shots, including two on goal, while sophomore Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah), junior Joel Sangwa (Phoenix, Ariz.), Shokalook and Sam Tojaga (Erie, Pa.) added two shots apiece. Redshirt freshman GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) posted five saves in net for the Zips.

ZIPS FINDING THEIR FORM
On the heels of a 1-0 setback at No. 18 Penn State on Sept. 25, the Zips have found their form as Akron owns a 7-0-3 mark since. The Zips are averaging 14.2 shots and 2.60 goals per game in those contests, while limiting their opponents to 6.3 shots and 0.40 goals per tilt. Akron has outscored its opponents in the first half by a 16-1 margin, while posting a 142-63 edge in shots. Sophomore Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) and Dyson Clapier paces the Zips with five and four goals, respectively. In goal, Mitch Budler owns a 0.40 goals against average on the strength of six shutouts and 17 saves.

EMBICK NAMED MAC COACH OF THE YEAR
Akron men's soccer head coach Jared Embick was tabbed as the 2022 Mid-American Conference Gary V. Palmisano Men's Soccer Coach of the Year as announced by the league on Thursday, Nov. 10.

In his 10th year as head coach and 16th campaign overall with Akron, Embick earned MAC Coach of the Year accolades for the second time after guiding the Zips to their 21st regular season MAC title on the strength of a 5-0-3 league mark this fall.

Embick collected the 12th MAC Coach of the Year award in Akron men's soccer program history joining Caleb Porter (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012), Ken Lolla (1993, 1995, 1998 and 2005) and himself (2019) as past recipients.

LEAGUE-BEST EIGHT ZIPS EARN ALL-MAC HONORS
Led by sophomores Jonas Buechte, Dyson Clapier and Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario), Will Jackson and Jason Shokalook, who garnered First-Team All-Mid-American Conference men's soccer accolades, a league-best eight University of Akron players earned All-MAC honors when the league unveiled its 2022 award winners on Thursday, Nov. 10.

Juniors Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.) and Joel Sangwa along with sophomore Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) rounded out the Zips' recipients pulling in second-team laurels.

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.749), with an overall record of 234-65-41. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 222-72-38 (.726), Maryland, 221-70-49 (.722), North Carolina, 210-76-51 (.699) and Creighton, 206-83-37 (.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.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Thirteen of the 24 matches between Akron and Western Michigan with head coach Jared Embick on the Zips' sideline have resulted in a shutout, including seven of the last 15, with the Zips owning a 10-3-2 mark in those contests.
• Akron is 19-2-3 all-time at home versus Western Michigan, having outscored the Broncos, 68-12.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 36 of 50 all-time meetings with Western Michigan.
• The Zips' contest versus Chicago State on Nov. 2 marked the 200th game on the Akron sidelines for Jared Embick as head coach for the Zips. Additionally, it was his 275th tilt overall as a head coach.
• Akron has scored three or more goals in nine of its 18 games this season.
• The Zips are rated first in the NCAA in total goals (47), total assists (56) and total points (150), second in assists per game (3.11) and points per outing (8.33), fourth in scoring offense (2.61) and in goal differential (29), 14th in winning percentage (.750), 15th in shot accuracy (.479), 20th in corner kicks per game (6.56), 27th in shots on goal per contest (6.44), 46th in shutout percentage (.389) and 39th in team goals against average (1.00).
• Individually, Jason Shokalook is rated 39th in the country 16th in shot accuracy (.579), 26th in total goals (9), 21st in total points (24), 27th in points per outing (1.41) and 39th in goals per game (0.53), while Dyson Clapier is ranked 24th in the country in game-winning goals (3), 38th in total assists (7), 41st in total points (21), 49th in points per tilt (1.24) and 50th in shot accuracy (.514). Additionally, GK Mitch Budler is ranked 12th in minutes played (1620:00), 17th in shutouts (7) and 50th goals against average (1.00).
• Fourteen different Zips have scored a goal this season, including five newcomers.
• Twenty-one Zips have registered a shot this season, including eight 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).
• Since 2010, the Zips are 28-5-3 at FirstEnergy Stadium in regular season conference games. Overall during that span, including postseason, Akron boasts a 43-7-4 mark versus league foes at home.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 31-22-7 mark against ranked opponents.
• Jason Shokalook is Akron's active career leaders in goals (15), points (41), assists (13), shots (85) and shots on goal (38), while Dyson Clapier and Ryan Kingsford have scored 12 and 11 goals, respectively. Will Jackson paces the squad in shots on goal (37), while Clapier and Jackson lead in game-winning goals (5).
• The Zips own a 124-52-25 mark over the last 10 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 124 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 92 of the squad's last 164 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 34 of its last 69 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 76-13-11 record in its last 100 home matches.
• The Zips rank 16th nationally in average attendance in 2022 averaging 1,395 fans per game. In 2021 Akron ranked 13th nationally (1,565), while rating 12th nationally in 2019 and 16th in the country (1,419) in 2018. In 2016 and 2017, the Zips rated 10th nationally in attendance averaging 2,147 and 1,819 fans per contest, respectively.-
• Since 2007, Akron maintains a league record of 70-13-10 (.806) mark in the MAC. Furthermore, the Zips won 11 consecutive MAC regular season championships (2006-16) and 11 of the last 13 MAC Tournament titles.
• In all, Akron leads all league members with 21 regular-season and 15 tournament championships since joining the MAC in 1993, and has won both titles in the same season 12 times.
• In the first 29 seasons in the MAC, the Zips have produced 215 All-MAC honorees, including a conference-record nine first-team selections in 2010.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns a 77-39-21 record.

UP NEXT
The Zips will look to earn the Mid-American Conference's automatic NCAA Tournament berth against the Broncos as the NCAA Tournament Selection Show is slated for 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 14, to determine the 48-team tournament field.

The University of Akron Athletics

No. 12 Akron to Battle Western Michigan for MAC Title

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