Zips Take On No. 11 Indiana

No. 9 Akron (4-0-0) at No. 11 Indiana (1-1-1)
Friday, Sept. 9
Bill Armstrong Stadium
Bloomington, Ind. • 8 p.m.

Series History: Indiana leads 24-8-3
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The ninth-rated University of Akron men's soccer team returns to the road on Friday, Sept. 9, as the Zips visit Bloomington, Ind., for a showdown with No. 11 Indiana. The 8 p.m. tilt with the Hoosiers will be broadcast on BTN+.

HEAD COACHES
Indiana: Todd Yeagley (Indiana, 2002), Overall Record: 172-66-44 (14th Season), Record at IU: 165-57-42 (13th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 164-71-28 (14th Season), Record at Akron: 117-50-20 (10th Season)

SCOUTING INDIANA
Indiana enters action on Friday, Sept. 9, at 1-1-1 on the campaign following a 1-0 victory over St. John's on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Sophomore Tommy Mihalic and redshirt senior Ryan Wittenbrink lead the Hoosiers with a team-best two goal apiece, while Wittenbrink paces the squad in points (4), shots (8) and shots on goal (5). Redshirt senior GK Bryant Pratt and junior JT Harms have split the time in net for Indiana combining to pull in 10 saves and post a 2.00 goals against average.

As a team, the Hoosiers are ranked 45th in the NCAA in scoring offense (2.00) and 50th in shots per game (14.00). Individually, Mihalic is rated 19th in game-winning goals (1) and 50th in goals (2), while Wittenbrink is ranked 45th in shot accuracy (.625).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Indiana are meeting for the 36th time in program history with the Hoosiers owning a 24-8-3 series advantage. In the last encounter between the two schools, the Zips and Hoosiers battled to a 1-1 double-overtime draw on Sept. 10, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium. Akron is facing its first regular season road tilt at Indiana since a 0-0 double-overtime draw on Aug. 31, 2008. The Zips own a 4-1-2 mark in the last seven contests between the schools.

AKRON VERSUS THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Big Ten Conference for the second time this season and 196th time overall. Akron earned a 2-0 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 5. A year ago, the Zips bested Michigan State, 2-1, on Aug. 30, 2021 in East Lansing, Mich., before battling No. 3 Indiana to a 1-1 double-overtime draw on Sept. 10, 2021, falling 1-0 at Ohio State on Sept. 15, 2021, besting Penn State, 2-1, on Oct. 13, 2021, and earning a 0-0 double-overtime draw with Michigan on Oct. 18, 2021.
• Akron owns a 107-69-19 (.597) all-time record versus the current 14 members of the Big Ten Conference.
• The Zips have gone 25-6-6 against the league since 2012.
• In all, Akron is 42-11-9 (.750) versus teams from the Big Ten since 2007. During that time, the Zips have out-scored the competition, 116-50.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 10, 2021 - AKRON, OHIO)
In an early-season men's soccer showdown 16th-rated Akron and third-ranked Indiana battled to a 1-1 double-overtime draw on Sept. 10, 2021 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Both sides had opportunities to capture the game in overtime, but a pair of stellar diving saves from Akron GK Will Meyer helped the Zips earn the result.

The two heavyweights battled through a scoreless opening half before the Hoosiers broke the stalemate in the 66th minute (65:39) when Daniel Munie headed home a ball served into the box on a corner kick from Victor Bezerra.

The advantage was short-lived as Diogo Pacheco leveled the contest at one connecting at the 76:40 mark off an assist from sophomore Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.).

Both sides had scoring chances over the balance of regulation and overtime, but neither team was able to capitalize as the showdown fittingly ended in a draw.

CLAPIER GARNERS MAC AND NATIONAL HONORS
Akron sophomore Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) was honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Men's Soccer Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday.

Additionally, Clapier was tabbed by College Soccer News to its Men's Soccer National Team of the Week it was announced on Monday.

Clapier turned in a strong week for the Zips registering team-high marks in goals (2), assists (2), points (6), shots (8), shots on goal (4) and game-winners (2) to lead the squad to a pair of victories.

In Akron's 3-1 triumph past VCU on Aug. 29, he netted the game-winning goal in the 55th minute, while assisting on the Zips other two goals in a come-from-behind 3-1 win. He finished the contest with a game-high seven shots, including three on goal. He followed by scoring the game-winner in the 46th minute on his only shot of the match in a 5-1 victory over Wright State on Sept. 2.

A LEGACY OF SUCCESS
Since 2007, the Akron men's soccer program has posted the highest winning percentage in the nation (.752), with an overall record of 227-63-36. The Zips are followed by Wake Forest, 213-67-38 (.730), Maryland, 213-68-45 (.722), North Carolina, 204-72-46 (.705) and Creighton, 201-81-32 (.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
• Twenty one of the 35 matches between Akron and Indiana, including the six of the last nine meetings, have resulted in a shutout. Since 2003, the Zips own a 3-2-2 mark in those contests.
• The last seven tilts between Akron and Indiana have been decided by a goal or less.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in five all-time meetings with Indiana.
• The Zips are in search of their first victory at Indiana since posting a 2-1 triumph on Oct. 4, 1975.
• Akron has scored three or more goals in three of its first four games this season.
• The Zips opened the campaign with their first three-game stretch netting three or more tallies since posting four straight in the 2018 season (3-1 at West Virginia, 3-0 vs. Western Michigan, 3-1 vs. Rider and 3-1 at Syracuse).
• Jason Shokalook recorded his second career multi-goal game against No. 18 FIU on Aug. 25, while also adding his second career game-winning goal in the 85th minute (84:58).
• Ten 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 1-0 versus ranked teams this season following a 5-3 victory past No. 18 FIU on Aug. 25. A year ago, Akron went 2-3-2 versus ranked teams last season besting No. 3 Pitt, 2-1, on Sept. 6, garnering a 1-1 double-overtime draw with No. 3 Indiana on Sept. 10, dropping a 2-0 decision at No. 5 Marshall on Sept. 21, battling No. 3 West Virginia to a 0-0 double-overtime draw on Sept. 30, edging No. 14 Bowling Green, 5-1, on Oct. 22, falling 2-1 at No. 16 Northern Illinois on Oct. 30 and 2-1 versus No. 16 Santa Clara on Nov. 18.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 30-20-5 mark against ranked opponents.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Ohio State in a 7 p.m. match on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Dyson Clapier

Will Meyer

Diogo Pacheco

Jason Shokalook

The University of Akron Athletics