Time to fire up this year's new thread! For a refreshing change, the 2025 Zips squad actually overachieved. We are usually the team of great promise and sometimes mediocre results. May last season become the new template.
Akron Men's Soccer Announces Talented Newcomer Class - University of Akron Athletics Zips add a whopping nine newcomers - just for Spring ball. Some transfers. Some imports. It is a sign of the times in College Soccer.
(repeat) CSU 0-2 AKR FT Zips romp! Remi Agunbiade looks like he leveled up since last we saw him. More composure on the ball. He was a handful for the Vikings every time he touched it. Beautiful score after beating two defenders on the dribble.
What did they do in that first game vs Michigan on the 22nd? I'm still in college basketball mode. I've seen the Zips men's team play. They look good. The only way for the to get into the dance if they beat Miami and I think they can do that. It remains to be seen if Miami makes it in if they lose the MAC tournament. Anyway, hoping that the soccer team can replicate their success of last year.
The match at Michigan got moved to 3/21. Basketball is my 2nd favorite sport, so I too am all in with this MAC Tourney. Zips must win the Tournament to go to the Dance.
AKR 1-1 OSU Buckeyes advance per PKs after regulation time. (This matters only if a tie breaker is necessary in this Spring league.) With swirling winds gusting to 40 mph., any flighted ball was unpredictable. Attending only the first half, it seemed to me that Zips had most of the ball. As is usually the case between these two sides, it was very physical, especially for Spring ball.
Jared Embick gets (another) contract extension. http://gozips.com/sports/msoc/2015-16/releases/20150717bi9pa9 Men's Soccer - University of Akron Athletics
AKR 5-2 BGSU This was a mostly one-sided affair. Bench players from both squads saw lots of PT. Ignacio Alem distinguished himself on the left wing. He was consistently dangerous on the dribble. Freshman Leo Morana also impressed with some incisive passing through the midfield. I believe he had at least one assist, depending on how you score it. But the frosh I really have my eye on is Londen Sears. Here is a mountain of raw talent! Fairly good with his right, superb with his left. He played all four years of high school, the old-fashioned way. "... a two-time All-America honoree, he was named as the Ohio Player of the Year in each of his final two campaigns...led his squad to a state title as a senior after advancing to the title game as a sophomore." If Sears plays all four years of eligibility, he will very likely have an MLS career. I will lay that bet right now! His size/speed ratio is fantastic. He is quite rough around the edges and really needs some intensive and focused development. Akron is a great place to receive that sort of attention, the program that turns red chips into blues every damn year. But what is his position? Not sure at this point. Londen Sears - Men's Soccer - University of Akron Athletics
LOU 1-1 AKR FT Cardinals advance on PKs. The officiating was deplorably inconsistent. Just awful. By any standard anywhere. There was something about the artificial turf on the training fields adjacent to Historic Crew Stadium. Although the weather was dry and sunny, players from both teams kept slipping and sliding to ground. This persisted the entire match. The turf itself was dry to the touch. Was everyone wearing the wrong cleats? And no one adjusted? These conditions exacerbated the already overly physical play and reluctant refereeing. Terrible! Hopefully, no lasting injuries were sustained. This competition finale had been hosted in the actual Historic Crew Stadium some five (or more) years running. Rumor is that the new UFL franchise renting the stadium as home did not want the soccer field lines showing concurrently with the football field lines. Imagine that. Never mind that Historic Crew Stadium was the first soccer specific stadium built in the USA. Irony abounds! Consequently, the collegiate Spring League (or whatever) was bumped to the training facility. Restrooms were literally one half mile from the meager seating. It is doubtful any of the schools involved will want anything about this scenario repeated, so the Spring League has likely come to an end. It was fun while it lasted. Standouts for Zips were (unsurprisingly) Matt Dreas, Matthew Paiva and Farrel Ngongang.