No. 14 Akron Travels to Battle No. 18 Penn State

Sunday, September 25

University Park, Pa.

4:00 PM

University of Akron

#18 Penn State

No. 14 Akron Travels to Battle No. 18 Penn State

September 24 | Men's Soccer

No. 14 Akron (4-1-2) at No. 18 Penn State (3-2-2)
Sunday, Sept. 25
Jeffrey Field
University Park, Pa. • 4 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 18-14-6
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Live Stats: www.GoZips.com

WHAT'S AHEAD
The 14th-rated University of Akron men's soccer team continues its non-conference slate with a showdown at No. 18 Penn State on Sunday, Sept. 25. The 4 p.m. tilt with the Nittany Lions will be broadcast on BTN+.

HEAD COACHES
Penn State: Jeff Cook (Bates, 1989), Overall Record: 223-162-59 (25th Season), Record at PSU: 43-24-10 (Fifth Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 164-72-30 (14th Season), Record at Akron: 117-51-22 (10th Season)

SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State enters action on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 3-2-2 on the campaign following a 3-3 draw at Maryland on Tuesday, Sept. 20. The Nittany Lions are unbeaten in back-to-back matches and four of five overall.

Junior Peter Mangione leads Penn State with a team-best four goals, while also pacing the squad in points (10), shots (11) and game-winners (1). Senior GK Kris Shake has pulled in 34 saves en route to posting a 1.43 goals against average.

As a team, the Nittany Lions are ranked 20th in the NCAA in saves per game (4.86) and 46th in save percentage (.773).

Individually, Shakes is rated ninth in the NCAA in total saves (34), 17th in saves per game (4.86), 25th in minutes played (630:00) and 47th in save percentage (.773). Additionally, Mangione is ranked 39th in total points (10) and 41st in total goals (4).

SERIES HISTORY
Sunday evening's game is the 39th meeting between Akron and Penn State. The Zips own a 18-14-6 series advantage. The two teams last met in the regular season on Oct. 13, 2021 when Akron earned a 2-1 triumph past the Nittany Lions on Oct. 13, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

AKRON VERSUS THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Big Ten Conference for the fourth time this season and 198th time overall. Akron earned a 3-3 draw with No. 22 Ohio State on Sept. 13 after dropping a 2-0 decision at Indiana on Sept. 9 and earning a 2-0 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 5.
• Akron owns a 107-70-20 (.594) all-time record versus the current 14 members of the Big Ten Conference.
• The Zips have gone 25-7-7 against the league since 2012.
• In all, Akron is 42-12-10 (.734) versus teams from the Big Ten since 2007. During that time, the Zips have out-scored the competition, 119-55.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 13, 2021 - AKRON, OHIO)
Akron parlayed a pair of first-half goals into a 2-1 triumph over Penn State in a non-conference showdown at FirstEnergy Stadium on Oct. 13, 2021.

Junior Ryan Kingsford (Herne Bay, England) garnered a goal at the 15:01 mark of the initial stanza off assists from junior Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.) and sophomore Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) to give Akron a lead it didn't relinquish.

Sophomore Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) scored what proved to be the game-winning tally in the 20th minute (19:40) courtesy of assists from Diogo Pacheco and Kingsford.

The Zips finished the tilt posting a 15-6 overall edge in shots, including a 5-3 margin in shots on goal.

Kingsford directed the Zips' offensive efforts with a career- and game-high five shots, while Clapier and Pacheco added four and two strikes, respectively.

The Nittany Lions spoiled the shutout bid with a goal from Dax Hoffman at the 82:34 mark, but senior GK Will Meyer (Solon, Ohio) finished the affair making a pair of saves for Akron.

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.748), with an overall record of 227-64-38. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 217-67-38 (.733), Maryland, 215-68-46 (.723), North Carolina, 205-73-48 (.702) and Creighton, 202-81-34 (.691). 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
• Six of the 11 matches between Akron and Penn State with head coach Jared Embick on the Zips' sideline have resulted in a shutout, with Akron owning a 5-1-0 mark in those contests.
• The Zips are 2-1-3 in their last six road matches at Penn State, outscoring the Nittany Lions in those contests, 7-5, with three of the tilts resulting in a shutout.
• Akron is in search of its fifth all-time road win at Penn State in its 18th meeting away from home on Sunday.
• The Zips have won 10 straight home contests against Penn State.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in 19 all-time meetings with the Nittany Lions.
• Akron has scored three or more goals in five of its seven games this season.
• The Zips are rated fourth in the NCAA in scoring offense (3.00), seventh in total goals (21), ninth in total points (61), 10th in points per game (8.71), 11th in total assists (19), 13th in assists per tilt (2.71), 35th in goal differential (8), 36th in winning percentage (.714) and 45th in shots on goal (6.29).
• Individually, Dyson Clapier is ranked eighth in the country in game-winning goals (2), while Jason Shokalook is 29th in points per outing (1.67), 39th in total points (10) and 41st in total goals (4). Additionally, redshirt freshman GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) is ranked 25th in minutes played (630:00) and 46th in total saves (26).
• Eleven different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Sixteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including five newcomers. A year ago 19 different Akron players recorded a shot, including five newcomers.
• The Zips are 1-1-2 versus ranked teams this season following a 3-3 draw at No. 3 Pitt on Sept. 19. Additionally, Akron posted a 3-3 draw versus No. 22 Ohio State on Sept. 13, after dropping a 2-0 decision at Indiana on Sept. 9 and registering a 5-3 victory past No. 18 FIU on Aug. 25.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 30-21-7 mark against ranked opponents.
• Jason Shokalook is Akron's active career leader in goals (10) and points (27), while Ryan Kingsford and Dyson Clapier have scored nine and eight goals, respectively. Junior Will Jackson (Hudson, Ohio) paces the squad in shots (70) and shots on goal (33) and Clapier in game-winning goals (4). Jason Shokalook leads the Zips in assists (9).
• The Zips own a 117-51-22 mark over the last 10 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 117 wins are ranked seventh in all of Division I.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns a 70-38-18 record.

UP NEXT
Akron welcomes nationally-ranked Duquesne to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 7 p.m. match on Wednesday, Sept. 28.