Akron Opens League Play Battling Buffalo

Thursday, September 19

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Buffalo

Buy Tickets

September 18 | Women's Soccer

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women's soccer team is set to open Mid-American Conference play hosting Buffalo in a battle of unbeaten teams at 7 p.m. on Thursday (Sept. 19) at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Tickets for the contest against the Bulls 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. Buffalo | Sept. 19 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | Live Video

HEAD COACHES
Buffalo: Shawn Burke (Mercyhurst, 2002), Overall Record: 107-55-33 (11th Season), Record at Buffalo: 107-55-33 (11th Season)
Akron: Jen Simonetti (Dayton, 2005), Overall Record: 53-62-16 (Ninth Season), Record at Akron: 11-23-7 (Third Season)

EIGHT ZIPS HONORED ON SENIOR DAY
The Zips' contest versus Saint Francis on Sunday (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 (Concord, Ohio), Clara Krohn (Akron, Ohio) and Morgan Shansky (Oakdale, Pa.) and redshirt junior Penelope Cuirinier (Mionnay, France) were honored in pregame ceremonies.

SCOUTING AKRON
Off to their best start since the 2007 campaign, the Zips extended their unbeaten streak to seven to open the season following a 1-0 victory past Saint Francis on Sunday (Sept. 15).

Akron registered its fifth consecutive shutout against the Red Flash as GK Penelope Cuirinier collected seven saves en route to earning the clean sheet. Freshman Allie McMillen (Shreve, Ohio) netted what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 68th minute (67:31), her first career tally, off an assist from junior Emma King (Akron, Ohio).

Ella Hadley, King, McMillen, redshirt senior Morgan Pentz (Broadview Heights, Ohio) and sophomores Anna Simmons (Manassas, Va.) and 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 20 and 10 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), McMillen, Kaitlyn Rogowski (Hilliard, Ohio), Elisabeth Rupp (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Eesha Sutharshan (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Ariana Vakos (Avon, Ohio).

CUIRINIER NAMED MAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Penelope Cuirinier was tabbed by the MAC as its Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (Sept. 17).

Cuirinier was stellar in goal this past week helping the Zips post their fourth and fifth consecutive shutouts with a pair of 1-0 victories. Cuirinier registered 10 saves on the week, including seven against Saint Francis on Sunday (Sept. 15) and three versus Cleveland State on Thursday (Sept. 12). She posted five stops in the initial stanza against Saint Francis when the Red Flash registered seven first-half shots and pulled in three saves against seven total shots against the Vikings.

AKRON NOTES
• The Zips are off to their best start to a campaign at 5-0-2 since the 2007 season, while recording the squad's initial seven-game unbeaten streak since 2007.
• Akron has matched its 2006 squad as the only Zips' teams to post an unbeaten record in non-conference play.
• Akron has posted five consecutive shutouts for the first time since the 2009 campaign.
• The five shutouts by the Zips are the most for Akron in a season since the 2019 season.
• Twelve of the 21 matches between Akron and Buffalo have resulted in a shutout, with the Zips posting five wins and a draw in those matches.
• Four of the last five meetings between the two schools have resulted in a shutout.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in nine all-time meetings with Buffalo.
• The Zips have posted shutouts in five consecutive contests and have not surrendered a goal in nearly 530 minutes (529:10).
• Akron is ranked eighth in the NCAA in save percentage (.941), ninth in goals against average (0.29), 15th in shutout percentage (.714) and 19th in winning percentage (.857).
• Penelope Cuirinier is rated 17th in the NCAA in save percentage (.909) and 21st in goals against average (0.40).
• Six different Zips have scored a goal this season, including one newcomer.
• Eighteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including four 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 Buffalo with 182 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 Buffalo ranked ninth in career scoring at Akron with 26 points, while junior Emma King (Akron, Ohio) 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.
• Morgan Pentz led the Zips with a pair of multi-goal games a season ago tallying a pair of tallies at Cleveland State and Eastern Michigan.

SCOUTING BUFFALO
Buffalo enters action against Akron at 5-0-2 on the campaign following a 2-0 victory at Northern Colorado on Sunday (Sept. 15).

The Bulls are led by senior Jasmine Guerber, who paces the team in goals (3), points (7), shots (16), shots on goal (9) and game-winners (1), while ranking second on the team in assists (1). Sophomore GK Lexie Thompson has pulled in 25 saves on the campaign and owns a 0.43 goals against average with four shutouts.

The Bulls are rated 17th in the NCAA in goals against average (0.43) and save percentage (.900), 19th in winning percentage (.857) and 44th in shutout percentage (.571).

Individually, Thompson is ranked 18th in the NCAA in shutouts (4), 23rd in goals against average (0.43) and 25th in save percentage (.893).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Buffalo are meeting for 22nd time in program history with the series the Bulls leading the series by an 12-8-1 margin. Buffalo earned a 2-0 decision over the Zips on Sept. 21, 2023, at FirstEnergy Stadium.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Mount Pleasant, Mich., for a 1 p.m. contest against Central Michigan on Sunday (Sept. 22).

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.