Akron Hosts No. 13 VCU

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's soccer team welcomes 13th-rated VCU to FirstEnergy Stadium for a non-conference showdown on Friday (Sept. 6). The 7 p.m. match with the Rams will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Chad Welker on the call.

Tickets for the contest against the Rams 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. No. 13 VCU | Sept. 6 | 7 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | ESPN+

HEAD COACHES
VCU: Dave Giffard (MacMurray, 1999), Overall Record: 119-98-47 (16th Season), Record at VCU: 119-98-47 (16th Season)
Akron: Jared Embick (Indiana Wesleyan, 2000), Overall Record: 180-78-43 (15th Season), Record at Akron: 133-57-35 (12th Season)

SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips under the leadership of 12th-year head coach Jared Embick enters its tilt versus No. 13 VCU on Friday (Sept. 6) at 0-1-3 following a 3-3 draw versus Cleveland State on Monday (Sept. 2).

Redshirt senior Emil Jaaskelainen (Bolton, England) and senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (Carbondale, Ill.) lead the Zips in goals (2), while junior Stefan Dobrijevic (Uniontown, Ohio) owns a team-best two assists on the campaign. Jaaskelainen directs the squad in shots (11) and shots on goal (4). Redshirt junior GK Mitch Budler (Lincoln, Neb.) has collected 11 saves and owns a 1.75 goals against average.

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

The Zips are also be bolstered by the return of key 2023 contributors in Budler, redshirt senior Dyson Clapier (Layton, Utah), Dobrijevic, juniors Ashton Kamdem (West Chester, Ohio) and Daragh Reilly (Meath, Ireland) and Wan Kamal.

SCOUTING VCU
VCU enters action against the Zips on Friday (Sept. 6) at 2-0-1 on the campaign following a 1-1 draw versus High Point on Saturday (Aug. 31).

Sophomore Andrey Salmeron leads the Rams in goals (2), points (4), shots (10), shots on goal (4) and game-winners (1) this season. Redshirt senior goalkeeper John Ermini has posted four saves en route to posting a 1.00 goals against average.

The contest will be a reunion of sorts for VCU head coach Dave Giffard, who served as an assistant coach at Akron under head coach Caleb Porter from 2006-09.

The Rams are ranked 25th in the NCAA in winning percentage (.833), 31st in corner kicks (6.67), 38th in shots per game (14.67), 47th in scoring offense (2.00) and 48th in goal differential (3).

Individually, Salmeron is rated 23rd in the NCAA in game-winning goals (1) and 35th in shots per game (3.33), while junior Gerardo Castillo also ranks 23rd in game-winning goals (1).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting VCU for the seventh time in program history with Akron leading the series, 4-1-1. In the previous encounter between the two schools, the Zips recorded a 3-1 triumph over the Rams on Aug. 29, 2022, at FirstEnergy Stadium.

AKRON VERSUS ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE
• The Zips are meeting a team from the Atlantic 10 Conference for first time this season and the 42nd time in program history.
• In all, the Zips are 26-11-4 (.667) versus teams from the Atlantic 10 Conference.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (AUG. 29, 2022 – AKRON, OHIO)
Akron scored three unanswered second-half goals to notch a come-from-behind 3-1 triumph past VCU n the Zips' home opener on Aug. 29, 2022, at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Akron garnered tallies from Josh Hallenberger, Dyson Clapier along with Johnny Fitzgerald in the 50th (49:07), 55th (54:41) and 69th (68:27) minutes, respectively.

Akron finished the evening posting a 24-4 edge in shots, including a 9-3 edge in shots on goal. Clapier registered a game-high seven shots, including three on net, while Will Jackson tallied five shots.

AKRON NOTES
• The Zips own a 2-1-1 ledger in games versus VCU at home, with two of the four contests resulting in a shutout.
• Akron has outscored VCU by a 12-7 margin in series history, including 5-2 in four home contests.
• Emil Jaaskelainen recorded Akron's first multi-goal performance of the season against Cleveland State (Sept. 2).
• The match with Cleveland State represented the 225th game as head coach for Jared Embick at Akron.
• The Zips' match at Western Michigan marked the 300th contest in the head coaching career of Akron's Jared Embick.
• Mitch Budler is rated 17th among active career leaders in D1 in solo shutouts (14), 22nd in goals against average (1.06) and 38th in goalie minutes played (3,467.62). Emil Jaaskelainen is first in D1 active leaders in points (105), goals (45), goals per tilt (0.67) and points per game (1.57), 18th in assists (15) and 40th in games played (67).
• Through 39 career games, GK Mitch Budler has been dominant in net for Akron having recorded 95 saves en route to owning a 1.06 goals against average on the strength of 15 shutouts.
• Three different Zips have scored a goal this season, including two newcomers.
• Fifteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including eight newcomers.
• Nine Akron newcomers have appeared in a match for the Zips this season.
• Freshman Connor Filsinger (Frankfurt, Germany) made his Akron debut at Western Michigan and recorded a shot on goal, while freshman James Buebendorf (O'Fallon, Mo.) posted his first two collegiate shots against the Broncos.
• Dyson Clapier posted his 100th career shot at Western Michigan (Aug. 30) and his 50th shot on goal versus Cleveland State (Sept. 2).
• The Zips are 0-0-2 versus ranked teams this season following a 1-1 draw at No. 2 Notre Dame (Aug. 22) and a 1-1 tie at No. 5 Western Michigan (Aug. 30). 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).
• Akron has posted double-digit shots in back-to-back contests on the campaign, including a season-best 21 shots against Cleveland State (Sept. 2)
• Since the start of the 2015 campaign, the Zips own a 33-22-10 mark against ranked opponents.
• Dyson Clapier is Akron's active career leaders in goals (14), points (40), shots (104), shots on goal (50) and game-winners (6), while ranking third in assists (12). Stefan Dobrijevic and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal have scored five goals apiece.
• The Zips own a 133-57-35 mark over the last 12 seasons under head coach Jared Embick.
• Under head coach Jared Embick, Akron's record following a loss is 27-13-7.
• The Zips have scored two or more goals in 102 of the squad's last 188 matches.
• Akron has held opponents scoreless in 41 of its last 84 home contests at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron owns a 84-16-15 record in its last 115 home matches.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts IU Indianapolis on Monday (Sept. 9) at 7 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.

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.

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Players Mentioned

Mitch Budler

James Buebendorf

Jonas Buechte

Dyson Clapier

Stefan Dobrijevic

Connor Filsinger

Johnny Fitzgerald

Josh Hallenberger

Malik Henry

Emil Jaaskelainen

Will Jackson

Ashton Kamdem

Daragh Reilly

Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal

The University of Akron Athletics