Zips Notch 2-0 Victory Over Michigan State. https://gozips.com/news/2019/10/15/mens-soccer-zips-notch-2-0-victory-over-michigan-state.aspx
Check out #9 David Egbo's titanic blast. Another look at David Egbo's spectacular goal in Akron's 2-0 victory over Michigan State on Tuesday, one which he rated tops in his decorated Akron career. @zipsmsoc @ESPN @SCTOP10 @ESPNAssignDesk pic.twitter.com/2NHRdNijgb— Akron Zips M Soccer (@ZipsMSoc) October 16, 2019
I don't think I've ever seen that many different views of the same goal. Quite a blast. Normally shooting that far outside the 18 is not advised but that was nice. I noticed the keeper putting his hands up in frustration. I couldn't tell if he was putting them up in resignation or if he was assigning blame to his defense. Sometimes keepers are too quick to give blame to the defenders. To be honest, I don't believe that anyone, the defenders or the keeper, could have done much to prevent that blast.
I noticed that too. Just missing the POV perspective and the view from the blimp. Given how long it took and the fact his teammates were no longer looking at him, I took the keeper's reaction as general frustration and surrender. How could it be anything else after that bomb?
Zips Earn 1-1 Double-Overtime Draw at Western Michigan. https://gozips.com/news/2019/10/20/...double-overtime-draw-at-western-michigan.aspx
I know where they happen to park one. It's 10 or so miles away from the field. You're giving me ideas...
Terrible defending. Goalkeeper too far off his line, especially for an attacker with absolutely no pressure on him when shooting. That’s two things that would help prevent that goal.
Zips Rise Atop MAC Standings with 3-0 Victory over SIU Edwardsville. https://gozips.com/news/2019/10/25/...s-with-3-0-victory-over-siu-edwardsville.aspx Best Zips have looked all year.
CSU 3-1 AKR Embarrassing! Zips are assured losing regular season. I have been here a very long time, and I cannot remember a losing season. Ever.
Second-Half Rally Lifts Cleveland State Past Akron, 3-1. https://gozips.com/news/2019/10/29/...cleveland-state-past-akron-3-1.aspx?path=msoc http://www.csuvikings.com/sports/m-soccer/2019-20/releases/20191029xzoq92 Big props to first year HC Sinisa Ubiparipovic. Once a Zip; always a Zip. http://www.csuvikings.com/sports/m-soccer/coaches/ubiparipovic_sinisa?view=bio
Jackson's 90th-Minute Goal Caps Akron's 3-2 Comeback Victory over Northern Illinois. https://gozips.com/news/2019/11/2/m...-comeback-victory-over-northern-illinois.aspx https://niuhuskies.com/news/2019/11/2/mens-soccer-akron-stuns-niu-with-goal-in-final-seconds.aspx NIU GK Martin Sanchez recorded nine saves and was MVP for Huskies. Sanchez was busy all night long as Zips shot 31 times, with 13 CKs. https://niuhuskies.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/martin-sanchez/6523
I was curious about what losing seasons, if ever, that the Zips have had so I checked the media guide. I find media guides to be interesting and very easy to get lost in and waste time. Anyway, if I didn't miss anything, the soccer program started in 1955 and there have been three other losing seasons. 1955, 2-4-1 with losses to Ohio Wesleyan, Kenyon, Ohio State, Cleveland State 1965, 4-7-0 with losses to Brown, Denison, Michigan State, Ohio, Oberlin, Pitt, Ohio State 1992 was Steve Parker's last season before Ken Lolla becme the HC. 9-10-0 with losses to Illinois State, W. Kentucky, Indiana, Santa Clara, Penn State, Rutgers, St. John's, Alabama A&M, UNC Charlotte, Evansville Here is the link to the media guide - https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/akron.sidearmsports.com/documents/2019/8/30/2019msocguide.pdf It was cool to look through the media guide to get a perspective on the history of the program. A few interesting things I noted: In 2010, the NCAA championship year, the Zips lost one game. Coincidentally that game was a 2-1 loss to Cleveland State. I never realized how long Kentucky was a member of the MAC for men's soccer. CUSA, Kentucky's current conference, was heads above the MAC this season. I would like to see the MAC poach a few of those teams from CUSA. As late as 1988 the Zips were still playing Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan. It appears that 1988 was the last year that the opponents were not all schools that are currently D1 programs. Did something happen after 1988? I am not familiar when the differences in divisions D1, D2, D3, became a thing but perhaps it was around that time? Bowling Green was a thorn in the side of Ken Lolla. While his all-time record vs BGSU was 11-7-1, the Zips struggled against the Falcons in Lolla's early years. This is off-topic about Akron soccer but I thought it was interesting to think about. Alabama A&M (last played in 1994) and Howard University (last played in 1989), are both Historically Black Colleges. Alabama A&M stopped men's soccer after the 2010 season and Howard still has a men's team. While the racial composition of the athletes on the sports teams at HBCUs is by far predominantly black, there are still a few players of other ethnicities - Caucasian, Hispanic, etc. I found this interesting because at the time the Zips played both of those schools, soccer was not well known at all in the black communities in the United States. I was curious about where the players came from on those teams. I checked and was not able to find any information. Both schools were successful against the Zips. Howard was 8-2-0 all-time vs Akron while Alabama A&M was 1-2-0 with the losses appearing to be close games. In Alabama A&M's win against Akron in 1992, Steve Parker's last year as HC, the score was 4-2. I'm assuming that this year was an anomaly for the Zips and I expect to see them back in the national discussion next year.
University of Akron MSOC was officially started in 1954, 2019 being 65th anniversary. I too was surprised and reminded that 1992 was a losing season for Zips. I remember Steve Parker’s (R.I.P.) tenure very well, though evidently not perfectly. Cleveland State is the persistent thorn in Akron’s side. Records and program statures do not matter when these two schools play in this incestuous rivalry. These two programs are inextricably linked going way back, with far too many linkages to list. Ashland, Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster all have historical ties to Akron as well. It obviously does behoove Zips to play these schools in the current environment. I have long advocated the return of Kentucky MSOC to MAC. This would likely preclude Zips from NCAA tourney this season, but so be it. Even better if SEC starts supporting MSOC.
If it was started in 1954, 2019 would be the 66th year of the program. It can be confusing and I thought the media guide missed a season. To make it easier to think about, if a hypothetical program started in 2014 and the current season is 2019, the 2019 is the 6th season. From page 2 of the media guide that I posted the link to: PROGRAM HISTORY Seasons of Men’s Soccer................................ 65 (2019) First Season of Men’s Soccer..................................1955 All-Time Record.................................740-271-97 (.712) All-Time MAC Record ............................122-16-9 (.861) MAC Tournament Titles.............................................. 15 MAC Regular Season Titles........................................ 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances................................ 33 NCAA College Cup Appearances.. 6 (1986, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018) NCAA Championship Appearances.........4 (1986, 2009, 2010, 2018