Akron Squares Off Versus Central Michigan

Thursday, October 9

Akron, Ohio

6:30 PM

University of Akron

Central Michigan

October 08 | Women's Soccer

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women's soccer team welcomes Central Michigan to FirstEnergy Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. Mid-American Conference showdown on Thursday (Oct. 9).

GAME INFO
Akron vs. Central Michigan | Oct. 6 | 6:30 PM | FirstEnergy Stadium | Live Stats | Live Video

PARKING UPDATE
Akron fans are asked to please park in Lots 6 (Along S. Union Street between InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field and Lee R. Jackson Track and Field Complex) and Lot 10 (Corner of Vine and Spicer Streets behind the Stile Athletics Field House). Overflow parking will be available in Lot 9. All other parking lots will require a university permit. If parking at metered spaces outside of these designated lots, meters must be paid in full and current.

HEAD COACHES
Central Michigan: Jeremy Groves (Kentucky, 2005), Overall Record: 80-76-29 (11th Season), Record at Central Michigan: 30-55-23 (Seventh Season)
Akron: Maggie Kuhn (Bethany, 2004), Overall Record: 81-89-16 (10th Season), Record at Akron: 3-6-3 (First Season)

SCOUTING CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Central Michigan comes in action versus Akron at 0-10-2 on the campaign, including 0-4-2 in the Mid-American Conference following a 2-0 loss versus UMass on Sunday (Oct. 5).

The Chippewas are led by junior Melania Troy, who owns team-high marks in goals (1), assists (1), points (3), shots (16) and shots on goal (11). The goalkeeping trio of junior Bryles Borgman, redshirt sophomore Jadia Kershaw and senior Taylor Primack have registered 37, 10, 7 saves, respectively, and have combined to collect a 1.75 goals against average.

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Central Michigan are meeting for the 25th time in program history with the Chippewas leading the series, 17-2-5.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (SEPT. 22, 2024 – MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH.)
A first-half goal propelled Central Michigan to a 1-0 triumph over Akron on Sept. 22, 2024, in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

The Chippewas scored what proved to be the game-winning goal at the 35:01 mark when Lauren Walker found the back of the net to give Central Michigan a 1-0 lead.

Penelope Cuirinier led Akron with three saves. The Zips totaled five shots, one of them on goal. Akron faced 13 Central Michigan shots, four of them on net.

SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips were edged 2-1 versus Kent State on Sunday (Oct. 5) to drop to 3-6-3 on the campaign, including 0-4-2 in the Mid-American Conference.

Freshman Addison Hall (Manchester, Conn.) registered her team-leading third goal of the season at Ohio (Sept. 21), while seniors Emma King (Akron, Ohio) and Kylie Schiemann (Geneva, Ohio) along with junior Jordanne Oberhaus (Wadsworth, Ohio), freshmen Fineen Cregan (Rochester, N.Y.), Luisa Fragnoli (Medina, Ohio) and Olivia Pilato (Rochester, N.Y.) have each tallied two, one, one, one, one and one goal, respectively. King directs the squad in shots (25) and shots on goal (12). Cregan and Oberhaus own a team-best three assists apiece for Akron. Junior goalkeeper Sara Bower (Cincinnati, Ohio) and redshirt freshman GK Ariana Vakos (Avon, Ohio) own 29 and 24 saves, respectively, on the campaign en route to posting four shutouts and recording a 1.25 goals against average.

The Zips under the leadership of first-year head coach Maggie Kuhn return six starters in 2025, including sophomores Kailyn Biecker (Wadsworth, Ohio) and Olivia Heskett (Lewis Center, Ohio), King, Oberhaus, sophomore Kaitlyn Rogowski (Hilliard, Ohio) and redshirt sophomore Rachel Wenzel (Akron, Ohio).

Akron is led by team captains Bower and seniors Kaylen Goddard (Mechanicsville, Md.) and King as well as fellow returning players Schiemann, junior Emalee Szablewski (Lancaster, N.Y.) and sophomores Addison Lambert (Galena, Ohio), Allie McMillen (Shreve, Ohio), Eesha Sutharshan (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Vakos.

The Zips are bolstered by a talented 11-member 2025 signing class, which includes eight freshmen and three transfers.

The Zips boast 11 newcomers to the squad as donning the Akron uniform this fall will be senior Rielly Chesna (Chicago, Ill.), junior Lilly Touhey (Fishers, Ind.), sophomore Taylor Allen (Blacksburg, Va.) and freshmen Freya Blatz (Bethel Park, Pa.), Fiona Buczak (Brunswick, Ohio), Cregan, Fragnoli, Hall, Bailey Kerins (Dublin, Ohio), Pilato and Devyn Raymond (Shelby Township, Mich.).

AKRON NOTES
• Akron is meeting Central Michigan for the 25th time in program history with the Chippewas leading the series 17-2-5.
• Thirteen of the 24 matches between Akron and Central Michigan have resulted in a shutout, with the Zips posting a win and three draws in those matches.
• Ariana Vakos recorded a career-high eight saves at Buffalo (Oct. 2). Earlier this season she made her collegiate debut in the second half at West Virginia (Aug. 21) recording a pair of saves and later posted her first career shutout at Northern Illinois (Sept. 25).
• Emma King ranks fourth in program history in points per game (.58), sixth in goals per tilt (.23), seventh in shots per contest (1.67) and in game-winning goals (4), eighth in career goals (12) and points (30) and ninth in assists per match (.12) in career assists (6).
• Sara Bower ranks sixth in shutouts (5) and eighth in goals against average (1.70), career saves (134) and goalie victories (7).
• Addison Hall's two-goal effort versus Southern Indiana represented the first brace for an Akron freshman King netted a pair of tallies in a 5-0 win past Toledo on Oct. 23, 2022, at FirstEnergy Stadium.
• Akron leads in the conference in attendance, while ranking 68th nationally averaging 639 fans per contest.
• King leads Akron's active leaders in career goals (12), assists (5), points (29), shots (87), shots on goal (46) and game-winners (4), while Bower paces active Zips in career saves (135), goals against average (1.70) and save percentage (.738).
• King is rated fifth in the MAC in game-winners (2) and seventh in shots (2.08) per game, while Bower is sixth in shutouts (3) and in saves per game (3.63) and ninth in save percentage (.744) and in goals against average (1.52). Additionally, Fineen Cregan and Jordanne Oberhaus are ranked seventh in assists (3) and eighth in assists per match (0.25).
• In league-only games, Akron is ranked fifth in the MAC in save percentage (.813). Individually, Vakos is rated fifth in save percentage (.840), sixth in goals against average (.862) and seventh in saves per game (3.50) and in shutouts (1).
• For the first time in program history Akron earned a result in its first two road Mid-American Conference games registering a 1-1 draw at Ohio (Sept. 21) and a 0-0 tie at Northern Illinois (Sept. 25).
• Cregan posted a league-high two assists in Akron's 5-3 win over Southern Indiana (Aug. 24).
• Akron registered single-game MAC-leading marks in goals (5) versus Southern Indiana (Aug. 24).
• Seven different Zips have scored a goal this season, including four newcomers.
• Sixteen Zips have registered a shot this season, including seven newcomers.
• Nine newcomers have appeared for the Zips this season.

FOUR ZIPS HONORED ON SENIOR DAY
The Zips' contest versus Green Bay on Aug. 31 marked Senior Day for four Zips as seniors Rielly Chesna, Kaylen Goddard, Emma King and Kylie Schiemann were honored in pregame ceremonies.

In her first season at Akron, Chesna has appeared in 10 games, including nine starts, for the Zips, en route to registering an assist on one shot, while sparking the squad to a trio of shutouts.

Goddard has appeared in 54 contests, including 41 starts, en route to recording 12 shots, with three shots coming on goal, and leading Akron to 13 shutouts over her career.

King has appeared in 52 contests, including 45 starts, en route to collecting a team-best 12 goals, six assists, 30 points and four game-winners fueled by 87 shots, including 46 on goal.

Schiemann has appeared in 43 contests, including 18 starts, en route to registering a goal and an assist on the strength of 16 shots, with nine shots falling on frame.

UP NEXT
Akron visits Ball State for a 1 p.m. tilt on Sunday (Oct. 12).