The University of Akron Athletics
Thursday, November 12
Boyds, Md.
5:00 PM
University of Akron
vs
No. 8 Creighton
Thomas O'Rourke and the Zips seek their first BIG EAST Tournament final appearance as they face Creighton in the semifinal.
Photo by: Jeff Harwell
November 11 | Men's Soccer
BOYDS, Md. — The Akron men's soccer team has been playing its best when it has mattered most.
Riding a season-best four-game winning streak and scoring eight consecutive goals without giving up one, the Zips (11-1-4) know what is at stake ahead of its fourth consecutive BIG EAST Tournament appearance.
Entering as the No. 3 seed in the tournament following a 2-0 victory over Marquette in the regular season finale that clinched a co-BIG EAST Midwest Division title, Akron is set to face a familiar foe in No. 2 seed Creighton whom they split the division championship with.
"I think the end of the year has been our best soccer where we've been put together on offense and defense and found a lot of ways to win," head coach Jared Embick said. "We haven't had as many complete games as we've had late in the year, so I'm pretty excited about where we're at."
Back on October 11, the Zips tied the then-No. 6 Bluejays, 1-1, after Matthew Paiva calmly buried a penalty kick late in the match despite losing Remi Agunbiade to a red card and being forced to play with 10 men for the majority of the second half.
It was one of eight game-tying or game-winning goals Akron has had within the final 10 minutes of a match this season.
"I thought the first half was substandard to what we were hoping for," Embick said about the Creighton game earlier in the year. "However, I thought our start to the second half was excellent. The effort when we went down to 10 men was phenomenal. The message is: Can we do that for 90 minutes with 11 guys, and can we keep our composure to not get sent off or make a play that could send us home."
The Bluejays come into the postseason ranked No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches poll with a 12-1-5 record on the year, with their only blemish being a 5-3 loss to No. 1 seed Georgetown on October 30.
They are the nation's No. 2 scoring team at 52 goals and boast the BIG EAST's leading scorer and Defensive Player of the Year in Matthew Reed along with six other all-conference selections. They also have not been shut out all year.
"We have to want to tackle," Embick said. "You have to take care of the ball and don't lose it in bad positions, because they're good in transition. Everybody has to be on the same page defensively. It's going to take a collective effort to defend well against them."
Despite their four straight trips to the BIG EAST Tournament since joining the conference in 2023, the Zips have never reached the final and have a 1-3 record in tournament play. Last season, Akron dropped a heartbreaking, 2-1 loss to UConn in the semifinal and an overtime defeat to Georgetown by the same score two years prior.
"The last two times, we played well, but we've had a period of play where we just weren't on the game and lacked some focus. I think that experience of knowing these type of games, you have to be focused for 90 minutes and stay at it. That's why coaches like experience that guys learn from and know what they have to do to win the next thing."
With 10 players who saw action in last season's tournament, the Zips have the experience to help carry their momentum in their first stretch of postseason action and attempt to claim their first BIG EAST Tournament championship.
"It's going to have to be a complete effort," Embick said. "We're going to have to be really good in the attack, because any bad turnovers or sloppy play [Creighton] can turn into a goal. Defensively, we have to work really hard and be on the same page because they've obviously proven they can open you up and score goals. I think if our intensity level is what it is with 11 men how it was with 10 men [last time against Creighton], I like our chances."
FOLLOW ALONG
Watch (ESPN+)
Stats
Tickets
Riding a season-best four-game winning streak and scoring eight consecutive goals without giving up one, the Zips (11-1-4) know what is at stake ahead of its fourth consecutive BIG EAST Tournament appearance.
Entering as the No. 3 seed in the tournament following a 2-0 victory over Marquette in the regular season finale that clinched a co-BIG EAST Midwest Division title, Akron is set to face a familiar foe in No. 2 seed Creighton whom they split the division championship with.
"I think the end of the year has been our best soccer where we've been put together on offense and defense and found a lot of ways to win," head coach Jared Embick said. "We haven't had as many complete games as we've had late in the year, so I'm pretty excited about where we're at."
Back on October 11, the Zips tied the then-No. 6 Bluejays, 1-1, after Matthew Paiva calmly buried a penalty kick late in the match despite losing Remi Agunbiade to a red card and being forced to play with 10 men for the majority of the second half.
It was one of eight game-tying or game-winning goals Akron has had within the final 10 minutes of a match this season.
"I thought the first half was substandard to what we were hoping for," Embick said about the Creighton game earlier in the year. "However, I thought our start to the second half was excellent. The effort when we went down to 10 men was phenomenal. The message is: Can we do that for 90 minutes with 11 guys, and can we keep our composure to not get sent off or make a play that could send us home."
The Bluejays come into the postseason ranked No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches poll with a 12-1-5 record on the year, with their only blemish being a 5-3 loss to No. 1 seed Georgetown on October 30.
They are the nation's No. 2 scoring team at 52 goals and boast the BIG EAST's leading scorer and Defensive Player of the Year in Matthew Reed along with six other all-conference selections. They also have not been shut out all year.
"We have to want to tackle," Embick said. "You have to take care of the ball and don't lose it in bad positions, because they're good in transition. Everybody has to be on the same page defensively. It's going to take a collective effort to defend well against them."
Despite their four straight trips to the BIG EAST Tournament since joining the conference in 2023, the Zips have never reached the final and have a 1-3 record in tournament play. Last season, Akron dropped a heartbreaking, 2-1 loss to UConn in the semifinal and an overtime defeat to Georgetown by the same score two years prior.
"The last two times, we played well, but we've had a period of play where we just weren't on the game and lacked some focus. I think that experience of knowing these type of games, you have to be focused for 90 minutes and stay at it. That's why coaches like experience that guys learn from and know what they have to do to win the next thing."
With 10 players who saw action in last season's tournament, the Zips have the experience to help carry their momentum in their first stretch of postseason action and attempt to claim their first BIG EAST Tournament championship.
"It's going to have to be a complete effort," Embick said. "We're going to have to be really good in the attack, because any bad turnovers or sloppy play [Creighton] can turn into a goal. Defensively, we have to work really hard and be on the same page because they've obviously proven they can open you up and score goals. I think if our intensity level is what it is with 11 men how it was with 10 men [last time against Creighton], I like our chances."
FOLLOW ALONG
Watch (ESPN+)
Stats
Tickets
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's SoccerSunday, October 25
Saturday, October 24
Monday, October 12
Sunday, October 11
