Akron Battles Ohio on Alumni Day

Sunday, October 6

Akron, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

Buy Tickets

October 05 | Women's Soccer

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women's soccer team returns to FirstEnergy Stadium to host Ohio in a 1 p.m. matinee affair on Sunday (Oct. 6). The match will serve as Alumni Day for the Zips.

Tickets for the contest against the Bobcats are available for purchase at http://www.gozips.com/Tickets. Fans are asked to park in Lots 6, 9 and 10 surrounding InfoCision Stadium and the Stile Athletics Field House. For complete parking information click here.

GAME INFO
Akron vs. Ohio | Oct. 6 | 1 PM | Akron, Ohio | Live Stats | Live Video

HEAD COACHES
Ohio: Aaron Rodgers (North Texas), Overall Record: 89-101-27 (12th Season), Record at Ohio: 89-101-27 (12th Season)
Akron: Jen Simonetti (Dayton, 2005), Overall Record: 53-66-16 (Ninth Season), Record at Akron: 11-27-7 (Third Season)

SCOUTING AKRON
Off to their best start since the 2008 campaign, the Zips stand at 5-4-2 on the campaign, including 0-4 in the MAC following a 1-0 setback at Toledo on Sunday (Sept. 29).

The Rockets netted a goal early in the second half and held on to record a 1-0 victory over Akron. Redshirt junior GK Penelope Cuirinier (Mionnay, France) collected five saves for Akron.

Senior Ella Hadley (Concord, Ohio), junior Emma King (Akron, Ohio), freshman Allie McMillen (Shreve, Ohio), redshirt senior Morgan Pentz (Broadview Heights, Ohio), sophomore Anna Simmons (Manassas, Va.) and sophomore Rachel Wenzel (Akron, Ohio) have accounted for the Zips' goals this season having netted two, one, one, one, one and one, respectively. Eight Akron players have recorded an assist on the campaign led by a team-high two from Pentz. Hadley paces the squad in shots (16) and shots on goal (7), while Cuirinier and sophomore GK Sara Bower (Cincinnati, Ohio) own 35 and 11 saves, respectively, in net for Akron.

The Zips under the leadership of third-year head coach Jen Simonetti returned nine starters in 2024, including senior team captains Katie Stafford (Gahanna, Ohio) and Pentz.

The Zips boast 11 newcomers to the squad as donning the Akron uniform this fall will be junior Kaylen Goddard (Mechanicsville, Md.), sophomore Kellyn Fausel (New Philadelphia, Ohio), sophomore Shani Sirota (Raanana, Israel), redshirt freshman Nadia Zaborowski (Noblesville, Ind.) and freshmen Kailyn Biecker (Wadsworth, Ohio), Addison Lambert (Galena, Ohio), Allie McMillen (Shreve, Ohio), Kaitlyn Rogowski (Hilliard, Ohio), Elisabeth Rupp (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Eesha Sutharshan (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Ariana Vakos (Avon, Ohio).

EIGHT ZIPS HONORED ON SENIOR DAY
The Zips' contest versus Saint Francis on Sept. 15 marked Senior Day for eight Zips as seniors Lacey Bernick (Huntingdon, Pa.), Caitlin Bruni (Canal Fulton, Ohio), Maxima Carlitz (Stolberg, Germany), Quinn Casey (Powell, Ohio), Ella Hadley, Clara Krohn (Akron, Ohio) and Morgan Shansky (Oakdale, Pa.) and Penelope Cuirinier were honored in pregame ceremonies.

AKRON NOTES
• Seventeen of the 24 matches between Akron and Ohio have resulted in a shutout, with the Zips posting six wins and one draw in those matches.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in seven all-time meetings with Ohio.
• The last five games and seven of the last eight between the two schools have resulted in a shutout.
• Penelope Cuirinier is ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in save percentage (.875), fourth in goals against average (0.59) and ninth in saves per match (3.18). Additionally, she is rated eighth in league-only saves per game (3.75), ninth in save percentage (.833) and 10th in goals against average (0.86)
• The Zips are off to their best start to a campaign at 5-4-2 since the 2008 season, while recording the squad's initial seven-game unbeaten streak since 2007. The unbeaten streak matched the longest in program history set during both the 2006 and 2007 campaigns.
• Akron has matched its 2006 squad as the only Zips' teams to post an unbeaten record in non-conference play.
• Akron posted the second most shutouts in a non-conference campaign in school history, trailing only the 2006 squad that registered six straight to open the 2006 season.
• Akron posted five consecutive shutouts for the first time since the 2009 campaign.
• The four 1-0 clean sheet victories this season represent the second-highest total in program history matching identical marks in 2007, 2009 and 2011. The 2006 Akron team holds the top mark with six 1-0 wins.
• The five shutouts by the Zips are the most for Akron in a season since the 2019 season.
• The Zips posted shutouts in five consecutive contests and did not surrender a goal in more than 606 minutes (606:05).
• Akron is ranked 13th in the NCAA in save percentage (.877) and 31st in goals against average (.636).
• Penelope Cuirinier is rated 17th in the NCAA in save percentage (.875) and 33rd in goals against average (.588).
• Six different Zips have scored a goal this season, including one newcomer.
• Twenty Zips have registered a shot this season, including five newcomers.
• Nine Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• Penelope Cuirinier collected her 175th career save against Cleveland State (Sept. 12) and enters play versus Ohio with 196 career saves.
• Akron's victory over Oakland (Aug. 22) marked the 50th career coaching victory for head coach Jen Simonetti.
• Ella Hadley enters play versus Ohio ranked ninth in career scoring at Akron with 26 points, while Emma King is nearing the top 10 in career scoring with 24 points.
• King needs one goal to enter the top 10 in program history in career goals having amassed 10 in her four seasons.
• Cuirinier is ranked third, third, fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Akron women's soccer record book in career saves, shutouts, wins and goals against average.
• Penelope Cuirinier was tabbed by the MAC as its Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Sept. 17.

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters action against Akron at 6-1-4 on the campaign, including 1-0-3 in the Mid-American Conference following a 0-0 draw versus Kent State on Sunday (Sept. 29).

The Bobcats are led by sophomore Jaimason Brooker, who paces the team in assist (6), points (12), shots (27) and shots on goal (15), while ranking second in goals (3). Junior GK Celeste Sloma has pulled in 36 saves on the campaign and owns a 0.48 goals against average with seven shutouts.

The Bobcats are ranked 17th in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.636), 18th in goals against average (.545), 22nd in save percentage (.867), 25th in goal differential (19), 31st in scoring offense (2.27), 46th in winning percentage (.727) and 47th in total goals (25).

Individually, Sloma is ranked sixth in the NCAA in shutouts (7), 14th in save percentage (.878) and 18th in goals against average (.476), while Brooker is rated 15th in total assists (6) and 22nd in assists per game (0.55).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ohio are meeting for 25th time in program history with the Bobcats leading the series by an 15-6-3 margin. Ohio bested the Zips, 3-0, on Oct. 26, 2023, in Athens, Ohio.

UP NEXT
Akron visits Miami for a 7 p.m. match on Thursday (Oct. 10).

AKRON ATHLETICS NOW CASHLESS
The University of Akron Athletics Department announced its transition to cashless payments for all ticketing, concessions, and merchandise purchases at all Akron athletic venues, concession stands, and gear shops, beginning with the start of the 2024-25 sports seasons. For more information click here.