Akron Hosts Saint Francis in Non-Conference Showdown

Tuesday, September 24

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Saint Francis

Buy Tickets

Photo by: Tony Davis

Akron Hosts Saint Francis in Non-Conference Showdown

September 23 | Men's Soccer

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's soccer team faces a non-conference showdown with Saint Francis visiting FirstEnergy Stadium on Tuesday (Sept. 24). The 7 p.m. match with the Red Flash will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Chad Welker on the call.

Tickets for the contest against the Red Flash 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. Saint Francis | Sept. 24 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | ESPN+

HEAD COACHES
Saint Francis: Mads Kaiser (Davis & Elkins, 2018), Overall Record: 9-3-9 (Second Season), Record at Saint Francis: 9-3-9 (14th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 182-80-43 (15th Season), Record at Akron: 135-59-35 (12th Season)

SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its tilt versus Saint Francis on Tuesday (Sept. 24) at 2-3-3 following a 4-3 victory over Butler on Friday (Sept. 20).

Redshirt senior Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) leads the Zips in goals (5), assists (4), points (14), shots (37), shots on goal (16) and game-winners (1), while senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) and redshirt seniors Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and Victor Gaulmin (Guipavas, France) have added three, two and two goals, respectively, to go along with senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario) owning a team-best four assists on the campaign. Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 18 saves and owns a 1.63 goals against average.

Akron returns six starters in 2024, including 2023 All-BIG EAST Conference performers, seniors Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and Malik Henry.

The Zips will also be bolstered by the return of key 2023 contributors in Budler, Clapier, junior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown Ohio), juniors Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) and Daragh Reilly (Meath, Ireland) and Wan Kamal.

SCOUTING SAINT FRANCIS
Saint Francis comes into play versus the Zips on Tuesday (Sept. 24) at 2-3-1 on the campaign following a 3-3 draw at Canisius on Saturday (Sept. 20).

Sophomore Joschi Schelb leads the Red Flash in goals (5), assists (2), points (12), shots (17), shots on goal (8) and game-winners (1) this season. Junior goalkeeper Milo Risenhoover has posted 13 saves en route to posting a 2.00 goals against average and one shutout.

The Red Flash are ranked 26th in the NCAA in corner kicks (6.17). Individually, Schelb is rated eighth in the NCAA in points per game (2.00), 11th in goals per contest (0.83), 15th in total goals (5) and 19th in total points (12).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Saint Francis for the third time in program history. The Zips lead the series, 2-0-0. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron earned a 4-0 road triumph past the Red Flash on Sept. 16, 2007.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 7, 2007 - LORETTO, PA.)
A year after posting a 2-1 overtime victory at home over Saint Francis on Sept. 3, 2006, the Zips garnered a 4-0 road triumph past the Red Flash on Sept. 7, 2007.

AKRON VERSUS NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Northeast Conference for the first time this season and 18th time overall.
• In their last encounter with a school from the NEC, the Zips earned a 2-1 victory over Long Island on Sept 8, 2023.

AKRON IN CONFERENCE OPENERS (SINCE 1993)
The Zips' contest versus Butler marked Akron's 2024 BIG EAST debut. Since 1993, the Zips own a 26-2-4 mark in league openers.

AKRON NOTES
• Akron and Saint Francis are meeting for the third time with the Zips having outscored the Red Flash, 6-1.
• Emil Jaaskelainen posted his second multi-goal effort of the season with a pair of goals in a 4-3 win over Butler (Sept. 20). He played a hand in all four goals in the victory as he collected a pair of assists to go along with his two scores.
• Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) collected his 100th career save against Butler (Sept. 20) and enters play versus Saint Francis with 102 career stops.
• Emil Jaaskelainen enters play versus Saint Francis with 48 career goals, a mark that is rated No. 1 among active career leaders in Division I and ninth overall across all divisions.
• The Zips are rated seventh in the NCAA in shots per game (16.88), 15th in corner kicks (6.63), 29th shots on goal per contest (6.63) and total assists (15), 37th in total points (43), 38th in assists per match (1.88) and 43rd in total goals (14).
• Individually, GK Mitch Budler is rated 13th in the NCAA in goalie minutes played (720:00), Emil Jaaskelainen is ranked fourth in shots per game (4.63), ninth in shots on goal per contest (2.00), 12th in total points (14), 15th in total goals (5), 17th in points per outing (1.75), 19th in total assists (4), 40th in assists per tilt (0.50) and 41st in goals per match (0.63). Additionally, Malik Henry is 19th in total assists (4) and 40th in assists per game (0.50).
• Mitch Budler is rated 17th among active career leaders in D1 in solo shutouts (15), 30th in goals against average (1.11) and 36th in goalie minutes played (3,827.62). Emil Jaaskelainen is first in D1 active leaders in points (114), goals (48), goals per tilt (0.68) and points per game (1.61), 11th in assists (18) and 40th in games played (71). Malik Henry is rated 20th in career assists (16).
• Six different Zips have scored a goal this season, including two newcomers.
• Eighteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including nine newcomers.
• Ten Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• Akron has posted double-digit shots in six consecutive contests on the campaign, including a season-best 27 shots against Temple (Sept. 14).
• The Zips are 1-0-2 versus ranked teams this season following a 1-1 draw at No. 2 Notre Dame (Aug. 22), a 1-1 tie at No. 5 Western Michigan (Aug. 30) and a 4-0 triumph past No. 13 VCU (Sept. 6). A year ago, Akron was 2-0-1 against ranked squads after a 0-0 draw with No. 15 Notre Dame (Sept. 19), a 2-0 victory over No. 11 Florida International (Sept. 11) and a 1-0 triumph past No. 7 Vermont (Aug. 28).
• Since 2010, the Zips are 31-5-5 at FirstEnergy Stadium in regular season conference games. Overall, during that span, including postseason, Akron boasts a 46-8-6 mark versus league foes at home.
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 34-22-10 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dyson Clapier is Akron's active career leaders in goals (16), points (44), shots (114), shots on goal (54) and game-winners (6), while ranking third in assists (12). Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal, Jaaskelainen and junior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio) have scored six, five and five goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 135-59-35 mark over the last 12 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 135 wins are ranked eighth in all of Division I.
• Under head coach Jared Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 28-14-7.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 104 of the squad's last 192 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 42 of its last 88 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 86-18-15 record in its last 119 home matches.

UP NEXT
Akron returns to the road for a BIG EAST showdown at Georgetown on Saturday (Sept. 28) at 1 p.m.

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.