Akron Faces Road Showdown at Toledo

Sunday, September 29

Toledo, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Toledo

September 28 | Women's Soccer

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women's soccer team visits Toledo for a 1 p.m. match against the Rockets on Sunday (Sept. 29).

GAME INFO
Akron at Toledo | Sept. 29 | 1 PM | Toledo, Ohio | Live Stats | Live Video

HEAD COACHES
Toledo: Mark Batman (Wilmington, 2000), Overall Record: 262-105-44 (21st Season), Record at Toledo: 10-14-4 (Second Season)
Akron: Jen Simonetti (Dayton, 2005), Overall Record: 53-65-16 (Ninth Season), Record at Akron: 11-26-7 (Third Season)

SCOUTING AKRON
Off to their best start since the 2008 campaign, the Zips stand at 5-3-2 on the campaign, including 0-3 in the MAC following a 1-0 setback against Ball State on Thursday (Sept. 26).

A first-half goal proved to be all the scoring the Cardinals need en route to posting a 1-0 triumph 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 30 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
• Fourteen of the 22 matches between Akron and Toledo have resulted in a shutout, with the Zips posting four wins in those matches.
• Akron has scored two or more goals in five all-time meetings with Toledo.
• The last five games between the two schools have resulted in a shutout.
• Penelope Cuirinier was tabbed by the MAC as its Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (Sept. 17).
• The Zips are off to their best start to a campaign at 5-3-2 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 (.882) and 27th in goals against average (.600).
• Penelope Cuirinier is rated 17th in the NCAA in save percentage (.882) and 28th in goals against average (.533).
• Six different Zips have scored a goal this season, including one newcomer.
• Nineteen 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 Toledo with 191 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 Toledo 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 TOLEDO
Toledo enters action against Akron at 3-5-2 on the campaign, including 0-2-1 in the Mid-American Conference following a 0-0 draw at Eastern Michigan on Thursday (Sept. 26).

The Rockets are led by freshman Gabby Anulare, junior Alli MacBeth and redshirt senior Dalaney Ranallo, who pace the team in goals (2). Junior GK Agnes Stenlund has pulled in 39 saves on the campaign and owns a 1.00 goals against average.

Individually, Stenlund is ranked 41st in the NCAA in shutouts (4).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Toledo are meeting for 23rd time in program history with the Rockets leading the series by an 15-5-2 margin. Toledo edged the Zips, 3-0, on Oct. 8, 2023, in Toledo.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Ohio in a 1 p.m. match on Sunday (Oct. 6) at FirstEnergy Stadium on Alumni Day.