https://gozips.com/news/2018/9/25/mens-soccer-egbo-earns-national-team-of-the-week-honors.aspx. If you get the chance, go see David Egbo as a collegian. He has improved 100% since last year at this time.
VCU 3-4 Akron OT A weird and wild affair! Nearly four hour match with lightning delay at HT, Rams leading 2-1. Buenos Nochas. More tomorrow.
VCU 3-4 Akron OT http://vcuathletics.com/sports/msoc/2018-19/releases/20180926zw74fv https://gozips.com/news/2018/9/26/m...to-4-3-overtime-victory-at-vcu.aspx?path=msoc These two programs are similar in composition and style of play. Rams HC David Giffard was once AC under Caleb Porter (Has it been ten years?). Current Rams Graduate Assistant is Reinaldo Brenes who played for Zips 2010-2013. This was a great road win for Akron, the kind upon which post-season runs are built. I still have many misgivings and complaints about our current squad. We continue to turnover way too cheaply in DMF and CB. But I will blast them with all that after our next loss. For now we will bask in the glow of the best 4-hour match played in program history.
Reliving a come-from-behind 4-3 victory at VCU last evening for Akron. Check out the Zips as they host Syracuse on Monday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium - Cub Cadet Field. @ZipsMSoc pic.twitter.com/VEgL2lruzE— Akron Zips M Soccer (@ZipsMSoc) September 27, 2018 Music courtesy of Black Keys, born and raised in Akron OH.
I just had to look at this. Zips play "Syracuse." This is the starting 11: Zeugner Germany (grad student) Breitenmoser Switzerland Norheim Norway Johnson Connecticut Miller Canada Hagman Sweden Ferrin Canada Delhommelle France Ricks California Buchanan Canada Hipert Germany Percent USA 18%
Well, just when I thought the Zips were coming together..... Akron 1-3 Syracuse https://gozips.com/news/2018/10/1/m...syracuse-to-3-1-win-over-akron.aspx?path=msoc https://cuse.com/news/2018/10/1/mens-soccer-hagmans-career-night-leads-orange-to-victory.aspx The Orange are a very good side. And we Zips fans have seen Ian McIntyre coached teams before, that bang, bang, bang Hartwick vertical style. Syracuse executed their offense very effectively. Even though this was another embarrassing home loss for Zips, Syracuse did not out-class Akron, say, the way NC State did. The Orange converted their chances while the Zips could not. Akron Head Coach Jared Embick: “We had too many turnovers and essentially gave up the same goal three times,” head coach Jared Embick said. “They were rebounds and we were beat to the ball for tap-ins. We had a setback. It was back to who we were when we started the season. We were bad in transition, soft on the ball and looking for other people to get our job done.” "When they got the ball forward, he beat us down the field,” Embick said of Hagman. “He caught our midfield ball watching and outran us and worked hard.” I could not ignore the industrious play of Tajon Buchanan. https://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=15560 Syracuse Orange have the best, smartest looking uniform in NCAA Soccer.
Bowling Green 0-0 Akron 2OT The better side did not win, nor did the better side lose. A steady, often torrential, downpour persisted throughout the match. Lightening caused HT to last 70 minutes. No futboler is afraid of mud. Hell, I love playing in the mud. But Cochrane Field does not drain like many newly constructed pitches. The water just sits there until absorbed. Standing water affects the competition more than any other environmental factor. Huge puddles necessitate lifting the ball from the floor. It is truly a game changer. . Zips squandered multiple chances to get a goal. David Egbo, about whom I have gushed profusely on this forum, missed three absolute sitting ducks from 15 yards in. Many others botched chances as well. Soccer does not usually translate to linear statistical analysis. But Zips shot 21 times(10) and had 16 Corner Kicks. MACtober (not my term) is off to a very slow start for Zips. Bowling Green was supposed to be the easy MAC contest. https://bgsufalcons.com/news/2018/1...-zips-play-to-nil-nil-draw-in-mac-opener.aspx https://gozips.com/news/2018/10/6/m...t-in-0-0-draw-at-bowling-green.aspx?path=msoc It continues to irk me that Akron native (Copley HS) Chris Brennan is not a Zip. This is even after Brennan proved to be a bit of a asshole last year in Akron. Ask João Moutinho how Brennan's elbow tastes. https://bgsufalcons.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6937
Not sure I follow the logic here completely. I think I get the implication though. But maybe he wanted to play close to home? He's had an excellent run at BG. I know you are a huge fan but not everybody loves the Zips. Even in Ohio. One thing you can certainly say though is that BG is much more of an "Ohio" team giving Ohio players an opportunity go play than Akron is at this point. You can also say that in the 2 OT Akron completely dominated but couldn't find a single player with any composure to win the game. But that's what makes the game what it is.
I have watched Chris Brennan play for many years now. Even before high school. My (and others) assumption is that every futboler in NEO wants to be a Zip. This assumption obviously cannot be 100% true. Reference John Nelson. I have heard that Brennan had specific reasons in choosing Bowling Green. So be it. I am not privy to his personal reasoning. From a strictly soccer perspective, Chris would fit in very nicely on this current Zips squad. My other reference is that last year, Brennan comported himself in a less than sportsmanlike manner in front of his home town. I bet you attended that match, and that you know what I mean. Athletics brings out the best and worst in us. Bottom line is that, though I do not know him personally, I know Chris Brennan the player. And I like him a whole lot. He plays with grit and fire. He reminds me of another Chris; Mueller for Orlando City. I selfishly wanted Chris to play at Akron so I could closely watch his collegiate career.
I mostly watched him play at club level for challenger and the odd BG game here and there over the last few years. He's a terrific player. My only concern is that he seems to have bulked out a bit up top and I worry that might slow him down a bit but that could be unfounded. I would cut him some slack as far as that one game goes. That's not the type of player he is in my opinion and everybody has those moments. I have heard of a lot of NEO (area not the club) players wanting to play for Akron or anywhere else for that matter but being overlooked. I was going to go down the starting lineup for the last game and list where each player was from but I am too lazy. The short take is that it was predominantly foreign born and trained. I'm not a fan who follows Akron closely but it seems like the easy foreign recruiting fix has exploded over the last few years with things like a Portugal connection...used to be Sigma in Canada but that's hardly foreign, more like cousins. Anyway, it's part of a trend in college soccer... a wave actually now facilitated by recruiting companies. Even programs like Wright State which have just dabbled in the odd Scandinavian in the past that didn't always work out seem to have established a much more solid pipeline. BG has a solid Ohio flavor in its starting eleven. I'd love it if Akron went that direction as well. Good luck on the season. Have to say I have always enjoyed the updates here so I don't have to go searching.
Michigan State 1-2 Akron Local boy (Copley HS) and team captain Skye Harter with FK goal AND game winning assist to................. David Egbo during last 10 minutes.
https://statenews.com/article/2018/...n-state-mens-soccer-second-straight-home-loss https://gozips.com/news/2018/10/9/m...2-1-win-at-no-8-michigan-state.aspx?path=msoc
I hear that several MLS teams had representatives in East Lansing MI last evening. Prospects to play on the next level numbered in double digits. These Spartans can play on my side this weekend in the park. (Bring traffic cones for goals.) https://msuspartans.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3330 https://msuspartans.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3325 https://msuspartans.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3329
Akron Announces Men’s Soccer Scheduling Change. Sandon, what the hell are you Cavaliers doing to me?!?! https://gozips.com/news/2018/10/1/akron-announces-mens-soccer-scheduling-change.aspx?path=msoc We need those RPI points much more than VA does. This is our second cancellation this season (ostensibly) due to hurricane.
Yeah, that change was announced last week by UVa and Notre Dame. I guess you guys don't have that fancy Internet technology out in Ohio yet. Sucks for both teams. It's part of the problem with the schedule being so compact. There's so little for adjustments when hiccups inevitably happen. Especially when soccer season is also hurricane season.
Get on the horn with Omaha...they had two games cancelled in the last week. Scratch that...Omaha is busy on the 23rd. I'm going to start looking at teams that are off for the entire week between the 20th and the 27th AND had a game postponed/cancelled. Green Bay, SMU, Drake, Cleveland State, Duquesne, Northeastern and Hartford are each free and have had games postponed/cancelled in October.
UIC RPI = 27 They have only 17 scheduled. Open slot on 23rd. Bussing distance. They would be my pick.
I know just the thing you Zips need... a home game with a team with a team that has a strong RPI, and you get just that on Tuesday with Creighton. Looking forward to the matchup. Creighton has never beaten Akron.
I have a feeling that's going to change. Then again, they are capable of playing well, when they feel like it, like against MSU.
Never have I seen any team anywhere more consistently susceptible to the quick counter attack. Zips' MF does not adjust well in transition. After the humiliating home loss to Syracuse, Coach Embick quipped that "we essentially gave up the same goal three times". Well, we again gave up that same goal twice in less than five minutes. To West Virginia. At home. Mountaineers drew level with 13 seconds left in regulation. Zips were inexplicably extended, looking to score. To call it poor match management would be a gross understatement. The golden goal was a real groaner, hitting the back net rolling slowly enough to count the panels on the ball. https://gozips.com/news/2018/10/13/...a-upends-akron-in-overtime-2-1.aspx?path=msoc https://www.wvgazettemail.com/sport...cle_6708f6a9-4b79-56d4-adfa-4ee949736068.html Chance at redemption is not far away, as Creighton Blue Jays invade First Energy/Cub Cadet on Tuesday. But there is no reason to bet on Zips for this one. David Egbo will serve a match suspension for YC accumulation. I must say that most of Egbo's YCs have not been well earned.