No. 2 Akron Returns to BIG EAST Play at St. John's

AKRON, Ohio – The second-rated University of Akron men's soccer team travels to Queens, N.Y., to battle St. John's in a BIG EAST Conference showdown on Saturday (Sept. 23) at 7 p.m.

GAME INFO
Akron at St. John's | Sept. 23 | 7 PM | Belson Stadium | Live Stats | FloSports

HEAD COACHES
St. John's: Dr. Dave Masur (Rutgers, 1984), Overall Record: 446-200-105 (37th Season), Record at St. John's: 393-179-99 (33rd Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 176-75-36 (14th Season), Record at Akron: 129-54-28 (11th Season)

SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 11th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its showdown at St. John's on Saturday (Sept. 23) at 5-0-3 on the campaign, including a 0-0-1 mark in the BIG EAST, following a 0-0 draw versus No. 15 Notre Dame on Tuesday (Sept. 19).

Junior Jason Shokalook (Erie, Pa.) owns team-high marks in goals (4), assists (3), points (11), shots (26) and shots on goal (13). Senior Josef Paulus (Hinckley, Ohio) paces the squad in game-winners (2). Redshirt sophomore GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) and redshirt freshman Seth Wilson (Frisco, Texas) have combined to collect 19 saves and own a 0.63 goals against average with five shutouts this season.

The Zips are rated first in the NCAA in penalty kicks (1.000) and in shots per game (18.62), fourth in shots on goal per contest (7.50), seventh in goal differential (11) and in shutout percentage (.625), 12th in winning percentage (.812), 15th in corner kicks (6.75) and in team goals against average (.625), 19th in total goals (16), 22nd in total points (48), 23rd in total assists (16), 29th in scoring offense (2.00), 30th in assists per game (2.00), 31st in points per tilt (6.00) and 35th in save percentage (.800).

Individually, Shokalook is first in penalty kicks (1.000), 12th in shots on goal per match (1.86), 16th in shots per outing (3.71), 34th in total points (11), 35th in points per tilt (1.57), 44th in total goals (4) and 48th in total assists (3), while Paulus is rated 13th in the country in game-winning goals (2). Budler is 17th in shutouts (3) and 34th in goals against average (0.80), while Wilson is 43rd in shutouts (2).

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, junior Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany), Clapier and redshirt junior Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee, Fla.), junior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario), Jackson, senior Joel Sangwa (Phoenix, Ariz.) 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 ST. JOHN'S
St. John's enters its match versus Akron on Saturday (Sept. 23) at 4-3-1 on the season, including 0-1-0 in the BIG EAST, following a 3-2 setback at Princeton on Tuesday (Sept. 19).

Redshirt junior Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau leads the Red Storm in goals (5) and shots (22), while senior Max McNulty paces the squad in assists (4), points (12) and shots on goal (8). Sophomore GK Alec McLachlan has recorded 13 saves this season and maintains a 1.50 goals against average with one shutout.

As a team, St. John's is rated fifth in the NCAA in total assists (23), eighth in total points (57) and assists per game (2.88), 12th in total goals (17), 14th in points per contest (7.12), 20th in shots per tilt (15.50), 25th in scoring offense (2.12) and 45th in goal differential (5).

Individually, Fleuriau Chateau is rated 24th in the NCAA in total goals (5), 34th in total points (11) and 45th in goals per game (0.62). Additionally, McNulty is rated 25th in total points (12), 41st in assists per match (0.50), 42nd in points per outing (1.50) and 44th in total goals (4), while senior Macoumba Ba is first in penalty kicks (1.000) and 13th in game-winning goals (2).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and St. John's are meeting for the fifth time in program history with the Zips trailing the series 0-2-2. In the last encounter between the two schools, the 23rd-rated Red Storm earned a 2-1 double-overtime decision over Akron on Sept. 6, 2013.

SHOKALOOK NAMED BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jason Shokalook added was honored by the BIG EAST Conference as its Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday, Sept. 18.

Shokalook turned in a stellar week for Akron registering team-high marks in goals (3), assists (1), points (7), shots (8), shots on goal (5) and game-winners (1) en route to leading the Zips to a 1-0-1 mark, including a 2-0 victory over No. 11 Florida International on Sept. 11.

AKRON-ST. JOHN'S NOTES
• Two of the four matches between Akron and St. John's have resulted in a shutout.
• Akron maintains a 0-1-1 mark in its two road encounters with the Red Storm.
• Three of the four all-time meetings between the schools, including the last three, have gone to overtime.
• Akron battled No. 10 Red Storm to a 0-0 draw on Sept. 14, 2012 after garnering a 2-2 double-overtime draw at No. 4 St. John's on Oct. 12, 2005.

No. 2 Akron Returns to BIG EAST Play at St. John's

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Players Mentioned

Mitch Budler

Jonas Buechte

Johnny Fitzgerald

Malik Henry

Josef Paulus

Joel Sangwa

Jason Shokalook

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal

Seth Wilson

The University of Akron Athletics