The University of Akron Athletics
Saturday, September 28
Washington, DC
1:00 PM
University of Akron
at
Georgetown
Preseason BIG EAST Favorites Clash as Akron Visits Georgetown
September 27 | Men's Soccer
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's soccer team is set to square off against Georgetown in a battle of preseason BIG EAST Conference favorites on Saturday (Sept. 28). The 1 p.m. match with the Hoyas will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network.
GAME INFO
Akron at Georgetown | Sept. 28 | 1 PM | Washington, D.C. | Live Stats | ESPN+
HEAD COACHES
Georgetown: Brian Wiese (Dartmouth, 1995), Overall Record: 228-98-47 (19th Season), Record at Georgetown: 228-98-47 (19th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 183-80-43 (15th Season), Record at Akron: 136-59-35 (12th Season)
SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its tilt versus Georgetown on Saturday (Sept. 28) at 3-3-3 on the campaign, including 1-0-0 in the BIG EAST, following an 8-0 victory over Saint Francis on Tuesday (Sept. 24).
Redshirt seniors Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) leads the Zips in goals (8), assists (5), points (21), shots (42), shots on goal (20) and game-winners (2), while senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.), redshirt seniors Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and Victor Gaulmin (Guipavas, France) and redshirt freshman Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) have added three, three, two and two goals, respectively, to go along with Gaulmin and Jaaskelainen owning a team-best five assists apiece on the campaign. Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 20 saves and owns a 1.44 goals against average.
Akron returns six starters in 2024, including 2023 All-BIG EAST Conference performers, seniors Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario).
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 GEORGETOWN
Georgetown comes into play versus the Zips on Saturday (Sept. 28) at 4-2-3 on the campaign following a 2-0 victory over Princeton on Tuesday (Sept. 24).
Freshman Mitchell Baker leads the Hoyas in goals (4), points (9), shots (21), shots on goal (10) and game-winners (2) this season. Junior goalkeeper Tenzing Manske has posted 20 saves en route to posting a 0.71 goals against average and four shutouts.
The Hoyas are ranked 19th in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.556), 25th in goals against average (.778), 31st in corner kicks (6.00), 40th in shots per match (14.11) and 45th in save percentage (.781).
Individually, Manske is rated eighth in the NCAA in shutouts (4), 13th in goals against average (.714) and 28th in save percentage (.800), while Baker and sophomore Matthew Van Horn are ranked 15th in game-winning goals (2).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Georgetown for the fourth time in program history. The Zips lead the series, 2-0-1. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron earned a 1-0 triumph past the seventh-rated Hoyas on Aug. 26, 2016.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (AUG. 26, 2016 – AKRON, OHIO)
Brad Ruhaak propelled top-rated Akron to a season-opening 1-0 victory over No. 7 Georgetown on Aug. 26, 2016, at FirstEnergy Stadium, scoring the game-winning tally for the Zips with 36 seconds remaining in regulation (89:24).
Ezana Kahsay set up the goal as his strike from approximately 10 yards out in the 90th minute (89:22) was thwarted by a diving save from Georgetown goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. The deflection bounded to the sliding feet of Ruhaak, who found the corner of the net for what proved to be the game-winning goal, with Kahsay garnering the assist.
The goal ended what proved to be a defensive battle with Marcinkowski making saves on eight of Akron's nine shots on goal.
Ben Lundt made the most of his Zips' debut registering two saves en route to collecting the clean sheet.
Akron posted a 20-6 margin in shots, including 9-2 on goal. The Zips bettered the Hoyas in the opening half, 7-1, before outshooting Georgetown over the final stanza, 13-5.
Adam Najem and Sam Gainford paced the Zips attack with a game-high four shots apiece.
AKRON NOTES
• The Zips own a 1-0-0 ledger in games versus Georgetown on the road as Akron posted a 1-0 triumph over the fourth-ranked Hoyas on the strength of an Adam Najem goal on Sept. 4, 2015.
• Two of the three contests between Akron and Georgetown have resulted in a 1-0 shutout, with the Zips earning the win in both games.
• Akron has outscored Georgetown by a 4-2 margin in series history, including 1-0 on the road.
• Emil Jaaskelainen has recorded back-to-back multiple-goal performances following notching a hat trick in an 8-0 Akron victory over Saint Francis (Sept. 24). A game earlier, he 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 versus the Bulldogs as he collected a pair of assists to go along with his two scores.
• Mitch Budler collected his 100th career save against Butler (Sept. 20) and enters play versus Georgetown with 104 career stops.
• Emil Jaaskelainen enters play versus Georgetown with 51 career goals, a mark that is rated No. 1 among active career leaders in Division I and eighth overall across all divisions.
• The Zips are rated first in the NCAA in total assists (29) and assists per tilt (3.22), second in total points (73), fourth in total goals (22) and points per match (8.11), fifth in shots per game (17.78), eighth in shots on goal per contest (7.22), ninth in corner kicks (7.33) and 12th in scoring offense (2.44).
• Individually, GK Mitch Budler is rated third in the NCAA in goalie minutes played (810:00), Emil Jaaskelainen is ranked first in total points (21), third in total goals (8), fourth in shots per game (4.67) and points per outing (2.33), seventh in shots on goal per contest (2.22) and in goals per match (0.89), 11th in total assists (5) and 37th in assists per tilt (0.56). Additionally, Malik Henry and Stefan Dobrijevic are 26th in total assists (4), while Victor Gaulmin is 11th in total assists (5) and 37th in assists per contest (0.56).
• Mitch Budler is rated 15th among active career leaders in D1 in solo shutouts (15), 24th in goals against average (1.08) and 35th in goalie minutes played (3,917.62). Emil Jaaskelainen is first in D1 active leaders in points (121), goals (51), goals per tilt (0.71) and points per game (1.68), 10th in assists (19) and 34th in games played (72). Malik Henry is rated 21st in career assists (16).
• Nine different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Twenty-one Zips have registered a shot this season, including 11 newcomers.
• Eleven Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• Nathan Ferguson scored his first two career goals on the strength of posting the initial four shots of his Akron career, including two on goal, against Saint Francis (Sept. 24).
• Remi Agunbiade, Caleb Borneo, Connor Filsinger, Simon Guardiero and Josh Hardin each collected their first career points as a Zips in Akron's 8-0 win past Saint Francis (Sept. 24).
• Stefan Dobrijevic enters play against Georgetown needing two shots for 50 for his Akron career.
• Mitch Budler is expected to surpass 4,000 career minutes in goal versus Georgetown.
• Akron has posted double-digit shots in seven 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 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 (17), points (47), shots (118), shots on goal (55) and game-winners (6), while ranking third in assists (13). Emil Jaaskelainen, Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Stefan Dobrijevic have scored eight, six and five goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 136-59-35 mark over the last 12 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 136 wins are ranked seventh 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 105 of the squad's last 193 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 43 of its last 89 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns an 87-18-15 record in its last 120 home matches.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns an 89-46-31 record.
UP NEXT
Akron returns to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt against Xavier on Friday (Oct. 4).
GAME INFO
Akron at Georgetown | Sept. 28 | 1 PM | Washington, D.C. | Live Stats | ESPN+
HEAD COACHES
Georgetown: Brian Wiese (Dartmouth, 1995), Overall Record: 228-98-47 (19th Season), Record at Georgetown: 228-98-47 (19th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 183-80-43 (15th Season), Record at Akron: 136-59-35 (12th Season)
SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its tilt versus Georgetown on Saturday (Sept. 28) at 3-3-3 on the campaign, including 1-0-0 in the BIG EAST, following an 8-0 victory over Saint Francis on Tuesday (Sept. 24).
Redshirt seniors Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) leads the Zips in goals (8), assists (5), points (21), shots (42), shots on goal (20) and game-winners (2), while senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.), redshirt seniors Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah) and Victor Gaulmin (Guipavas, France) and redshirt freshman Nathan Ferguson (Glen Carbon, Ill.) have added three, three, two and two goals, respectively, to go along with Gaulmin and Jaaskelainen owning a team-best five assists apiece on the campaign. Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 20 saves and owns a 1.44 goals against average.
Akron returns six starters in 2024, including 2023 All-BIG EAST Conference performers, seniors Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and senior Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario).
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 GEORGETOWN
Georgetown comes into play versus the Zips on Saturday (Sept. 28) at 4-2-3 on the campaign following a 2-0 victory over Princeton on Tuesday (Sept. 24).
Freshman Mitchell Baker leads the Hoyas in goals (4), points (9), shots (21), shots on goal (10) and game-winners (2) this season. Junior goalkeeper Tenzing Manske has posted 20 saves en route to posting a 0.71 goals against average and four shutouts.
The Hoyas are ranked 19th in the NCAA in shutout percentage (.556), 25th in goals against average (.778), 31st in corner kicks (6.00), 40th in shots per match (14.11) and 45th in save percentage (.781).
Individually, Manske is rated eighth in the NCAA in shutouts (4), 13th in goals against average (.714) and 28th in save percentage (.800), while Baker and sophomore Matthew Van Horn are ranked 15th in game-winning goals (2).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Georgetown for the fourth time in program history. The Zips lead the series, 2-0-1. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron earned a 1-0 triumph past the seventh-rated Hoyas on Aug. 26, 2016.
IN OUR LAST MEETING (AUG. 26, 2016 – AKRON, OHIO)
Brad Ruhaak propelled top-rated Akron to a season-opening 1-0 victory over No. 7 Georgetown on Aug. 26, 2016, at FirstEnergy Stadium, scoring the game-winning tally for the Zips with 36 seconds remaining in regulation (89:24).
Ezana Kahsay set up the goal as his strike from approximately 10 yards out in the 90th minute (89:22) was thwarted by a diving save from Georgetown goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski. The deflection bounded to the sliding feet of Ruhaak, who found the corner of the net for what proved to be the game-winning goal, with Kahsay garnering the assist.
The goal ended what proved to be a defensive battle with Marcinkowski making saves on eight of Akron's nine shots on goal.
Ben Lundt made the most of his Zips' debut registering two saves en route to collecting the clean sheet.
Akron posted a 20-6 margin in shots, including 9-2 on goal. The Zips bettered the Hoyas in the opening half, 7-1, before outshooting Georgetown over the final stanza, 13-5.
Adam Najem and Sam Gainford paced the Zips attack with a game-high four shots apiece.
AKRON NOTES
• The Zips own a 1-0-0 ledger in games versus Georgetown on the road as Akron posted a 1-0 triumph over the fourth-ranked Hoyas on the strength of an Adam Najem goal on Sept. 4, 2015.
• Two of the three contests between Akron and Georgetown have resulted in a 1-0 shutout, with the Zips earning the win in both games.
• Akron has outscored Georgetown by a 4-2 margin in series history, including 1-0 on the road.
• Emil Jaaskelainen has recorded back-to-back multiple-goal performances following notching a hat trick in an 8-0 Akron victory over Saint Francis (Sept. 24). A game earlier, he 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 versus the Bulldogs as he collected a pair of assists to go along with his two scores.
• Mitch Budler collected his 100th career save against Butler (Sept. 20) and enters play versus Georgetown with 104 career stops.
• Emil Jaaskelainen enters play versus Georgetown with 51 career goals, a mark that is rated No. 1 among active career leaders in Division I and eighth overall across all divisions.
• The Zips are rated first in the NCAA in total assists (29) and assists per tilt (3.22), second in total points (73), fourth in total goals (22) and points per match (8.11), fifth in shots per game (17.78), eighth in shots on goal per contest (7.22), ninth in corner kicks (7.33) and 12th in scoring offense (2.44).
• Individually, GK Mitch Budler is rated third in the NCAA in goalie minutes played (810:00), Emil Jaaskelainen is ranked first in total points (21), third in total goals (8), fourth in shots per game (4.67) and points per outing (2.33), seventh in shots on goal per contest (2.22) and in goals per match (0.89), 11th in total assists (5) and 37th in assists per tilt (0.56). Additionally, Malik Henry and Stefan Dobrijevic are 26th in total assists (4), while Victor Gaulmin is 11th in total assists (5) and 37th in assists per contest (0.56).
• Mitch Budler is rated 15th among active career leaders in D1 in solo shutouts (15), 24th in goals against average (1.08) and 35th in goalie minutes played (3,917.62). Emil Jaaskelainen is first in D1 active leaders in points (121), goals (51), goals per tilt (0.71) and points per game (1.68), 10th in assists (19) and 34th in games played (72). Malik Henry is rated 21st in career assists (16).
• Nine different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Twenty-one Zips have registered a shot this season, including 11 newcomers.
• Eleven Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• Nathan Ferguson scored his first two career goals on the strength of posting the initial four shots of his Akron career, including two on goal, against Saint Francis (Sept. 24).
• Remi Agunbiade, Caleb Borneo, Connor Filsinger, Simon Guardiero and Josh Hardin each collected their first career points as a Zips in Akron's 8-0 win past Saint Francis (Sept. 24).
• Stefan Dobrijevic enters play against Georgetown needing two shots for 50 for his Akron career.
• Mitch Budler is expected to surpass 4,000 career minutes in goal versus Georgetown.
• Akron has posted double-digit shots in seven 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 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 (17), points (47), shots (118), shots on goal (55) and game-winners (6), while ranking third in assists (13). Emil Jaaskelainen, Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and Stefan Dobrijevic have scored eight, six and five goals, respectively.
• The Zips own a 136-59-35 mark over the last 12 seasons under head coach Jared Embick. Akron's 136 wins are ranked seventh 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 105 of the squad's last 193 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 43 of its last 89 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns an 87-18-15 record in its last 120 home matches.
• Since Oct. 1, 2015, Akron owns an 89-46-31 record.
UP NEXT
Akron returns to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 7 p.m. tilt against Xavier on Friday (Oct. 4).
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