Akron Hosts Marquette on Senior Night

AKRON, Ohio – The fifth-rated University of Akron men's soccer team welcomes Marquette to FirstEnergy Stadium for Senior Night on Saturday (Oct. 21). The 7 p.m. tilt with the Golden Eagles will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network/FloSports with Chad Welker calling the action.

GAME INFO
Akron vs. Marquette | Oct. 21 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | BIG EAST Digital Network/FloSports

PARKING UPDATE
For the remaining matches this season, Akron fans are asked to please park in Lots 6 (Along S. Union Street between InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field and Lee R. Jackson Track and Field Complex) and Lot 10 (Corner of Vine and Spicer Streets behind the Stile Athletics Field House). Overflow parking will be available in Lot 8. All other parking lots will require a university permit. If parking at metered spaces outside of these designated lots, meters must be paid in full and current.

HEAD COACHES
Marquette: Louis Bennett (Foreign College, 1982), Overall Record: 253-215-63 (28th Season), Record at Marquette: 118-151-46 (18th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 180-76-38 (14th Season), Record at Akron: 133-55-30 (11th Season)

SEVEN ZIPS TO BE HONORED ON SENIOR NIGHT
The Zips' contest versus Marquette on Saturday, Oct. 21, will mark the final regular season home games in the careers of Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.), Josh Hallenberger (San Antonio, Texas), Will Jackson (Hudson, Ohio), Josef Paulus (Hinckley, Ohio), Joel Sangwa (Phoenix, Ariz.), Sam Tojaga (Erie, Pa.) and Alejandro Varela (A Coruna, Spain).

Fitzgerald has appeared in 67 games as a Zip recording eight goals, including three game-winners, to go along with 12 assists on 53 shots, including 22 fell on net.

Hallenberger has appeared in 25 games as a Zip, recording four goals and two assists on 12 shots, including eight on goal.

Jackson has appeared in 75 games as a Zip recording 11 goals and 12 assists on 111 shots, including 45 on frame.

Paulus has appeared in 54 games as a Zip recording five goals and six assists on 48 shots, including 18 on net.

Sangwa has started all 35 games as a Zip recording five goals and two assists on 15 shots, of which eight fell on frame.

Tojaga has appeared in 70 games as a Zip, including the 2018 NCAA title game, en route to recording a goal and six assists on 47 shots, including 12 on goal.

Varela has appeared in 14 games for Akron this fall, including 10 starts, he owns a goal on 13 shots, including eight on net.

SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 11th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its showdown versus Marquette on Saturday (Oct. 21) at 9-1-5 on the campaign, including a 2-1-3 mark in the BIG EAST, following a 3-2 setback at Creighton on Oct. 18.

Junior Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) owns team-high marks in goals (13), assists (5), points (31), shots (72), shots on goal (35) and game-winners (3). Redshirt sophomore GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 22 saves and owns a 0.78 goals against average with seven shutouts this season.

The Zips are rated first in the NCAA in shots on goal per contest (8.20), shots per game (19.00) and in corner kicks (8.33), third in shutout percentage (.600), sixth in total assists (36), seventh in in total points (96), eighth in goal differential (20), ninth in total goals (30), 11th in team goals against average (.667), 14th in assists per game (2.40), 19th in winning percentage (.767), 22nd in points per tilt (6.40), 29th in scoring offense (2.00) and 50th in save percentage (.762).

Individually, Jason Shokalook is first in the NCAA in total goals (13), total points (31) and shots per outing (5.14), second in shots on goal per match (2.50), third in goals per game (0.93) and points per tilt (2.21), 19th in game-winning goals (3). Mitch Budler is ninth in shutouts (7) and 27th in goals against average (0.781).

Overall, Akron returns 11 starters in 2023 from a squad that registered a 11-4-5 overall record, including a 5-0-3 ledger in league play. Headlining that group is 2022 All-Mid-American Conference performers, juniors Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and Johnny Fitzgerald, junior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario), Will Jackson, Joel Sangwa and Shokalook and junior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.), from a team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 35th time in program history.

SCOUTING MARQUETTE
Marquette enters its match against Akron on Saturday (Oct. 21) at 7-5-2 on the season, including 1-4-1 in the BIG EAST Conference, following a 3-3 draw versus DePaul on Oct. 18.

Senior Brooklyn Merl leads the Golden Eagles in goals (6) and points (15), while senior Edrey Caceres paces the squad in shots (30) and senior Beto Soto in shots on goal (17). Sophomore GK Ludvig Malberg has recorded 42 saves this season and maintains a 1. 21 goals against average with four shutouts.

As a team, Marquette is rated first in the NCAA in penalty kicks (1.000), third in shots on goal per contest (7.43), fourth in corner kicks (7.21), 14th in shots per game (15.29), 19th in total goals (29), 24th in total points (83), 26th in scoring offense (2.07), 29th in goal differential (12) and 30th in points per tilt (5.93).

Individually, Malberg is rated ninth in the NCAA in goalie minutes played (1,260:00) and 39th in shutouts (4).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Marquette for the 14th time in program history with the Zips owning a 8-1-4 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, the Golden Eagles posted a 1-0 overtime victory past Akron in the second round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament on Nov. 24, 2013 in Milwaukee, Wis.

AKRON NOTES
• Seven of the 13 matches between Akron and Marquette have resulted in a shutout, with the Zips owning a 4-1-2 mark in those contests.
• The Zips have outscored Marquette, 19-9, in six home games against the Golden Eagles.
• Akron is 4-0-2 in six home games versus Marquette.
• Akron has posted double-digit shots on goal seven times this season.
• The Zips have recorded 20 or more shots in seven games this season.
• Akron is rated 12th in the latest NCAA RPI poll, while owning a 2-0-1 mark versus top-30 teams in the rankings. The Zips bested No. 7 Florida International and No. 8 Vermont, while garnering a draw with No. 3 Notre Dame.
• Akron has posted its best record through 15 games this season since beginning the 2012 campaign with a 12-1-2 ledger.

AMAZING RUN OF PLAY
Jason Shokalook has turned in an amazing run of play over the last six games for Akron having recorded nine of his team-leading 13 goals over the span on the strength of team-high marks in goals (9), points (19), shots (43), shots on goal (21) and game-winners (2). He delivered braces in back-to-back-to-back contests against Seton Hall (Sept. 29), Northern Kentucky (Oct. 3) and DePaul (Oct. 7) before connecting on his second career hat trick at Cleveland State (Oct. 10). He now owns seven career multi-goal affairs, including five this season.

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Players Mentioned

Mitch Budler

Jonas Buechte

Dyson Clapier

Johnny Fitzgerald

Josh Hallenberger

Malik Henry

Will Jackson

Josef Paulus

Joel Sangwa

Jason Shokalook

Sam Tojaga

Alejandro Varela

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal

The University of Akron Athletics