Bowling Green State University
AKRON
No. 19 Akron Defeats Men's Soccer Falcons on the Road
October 20, 2007 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 20, 2007
AKRON, Ohio - The visiting Bowling Green State University Falcons (3-9-3) were held scoreless at Lee Jackson Field as the host No. 19 University of Akron Zips (10-2-2) made the most of their senior day in holding BGSU scoreless in a 4-0 win at Lee Jackson Field on Saturday night. Akron is now 2-0-1 in the Mid-American Conference while BG falls to 0-2-1.
"Akron has outstanding players in every position and has a veteran team starting five of six seniors," said head coach Fred Thompson. "This quite possibility is the best team we have faced all season; they deserve to be ranked and could have a nice showing in the NCAA tournament.
"To our credit, throughout the game we gave their squad a bit of match-up difficulties, especially with the Perea twins on the field, but they are an older team who plays well together and found ways to keep us at bay."
Cameron Hepple was the first match participant to attempt to test the opposing goal keeper but was blocked by the Zip defense in the ninth minute of the match. The opposing teams would go on to release a combined six shots thereafter without one coming on goal until Akron's Elliot Bradbrook not only put the first shot on target of the game, but also scored the first goal as the clocked ticked to 28:19 minutes in the opening half.
Late in the first half, Hepple gave the Falcons their best chance to net a goal landing a free kick on the corner of the goal structure. His shot bounced back towards Jacob Lawrence whose header flew just above the Zip keeper and the goal.
The Zips later pushed their advantage to two goals at 55:39 when Steve Zakuani struck a score from 40-yards out as the shot ricocheted off the post and bounced in past Paul Shoemaker.
Zakuani scored again for the Zips at 81:23, while Corey Sipos added the third goal of the second period at 83:40.
"Akron was able to create chances for themselves by playing solid, fundamental soccer; on the other hand, we were not able to create the cutting edge for ourselves and help our own cause," said Thompson.
Shoemaker made five saves in the league match while Akron's Evan Bush ended the game without facing a shot on goal. ,p> In three games, Akron has not allowed a MAC opponent to score.
In the win, UA held BGSU to a season low seven shots in the match. The Orange and Brown have been held to single digit shots in just two other matches; Buffalo (8) and Michigan State (9).
Bowling Green will return home to Mickey Cochrane Field to celebrate American Cancer Society Day on Wednesday (Oct. 24) as the Titians of Detroit Mercy pay a visit to Bowling Green, Ohio. Kick-off is set for 3:00 p.m. whereas the festivities of the day will begin before the match and will continue throughout it.
#BGSU MEN'S SOCCER#
