There are two banners hanging in front of the grandstand at Lee R. Jackson Soccer Field.
The banners say ''THIS IS AKRON'' and are located just outside the home and visiting team rooms.
Western Michigan got the full experience of playing against UA when the Zips are at their best Sunday in the championship game of the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
Darren Mattocks scored two goals, and Darlington Nagbe and Scott Caldwell each added one to lead the top-seeded Zips to a 4-0 victory over the No. 2 seed Broncos before a crowd of 1,867.
The triumph allowed UA (18-1-1) to win its fourth consecutive MAC Tournament title and receive another automatic invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
''That was a whole another level today,'' UA coach Caleb Porter said. ''I have been kind of waiting for us to turn it up a notch and that was complete domination.
''That was the first time, really, we have won the MAC [tournament final] with such a lopsided
performance. These games are always very difficult.''
Western Michigan (10-8-2) allowed all four goals in the second half.
Nagbe, a junior forward, gave the Zips a 1-0 lead with his seventh goal of the season. His shot went into the upper right of the net in the 48th minute from 17 yards out.
Caldwell, a sophomore midfielder, extended the Zips' lead to 2-0 with his second goal of the season. His shot came in the 54th minute from 12 yards out went into the lower right of the net.
''With it being four in a row, that is great for our seniors,'' Caldwell said. ''It seems like we are starting to get everything going and peaking at the right time.''
Zips junior defender Kofi Sarkodie assisted on each goal, and sophomore forward Ben Speas assisted on the Caldwell goal.
''I don't think it was so much that Western Michigan was bad, it was just we were that good today,'' Porter said. ''Moving forward, if we play like we played today, we are going to be hard to stop. It could not come at a better time because hopefully we will have three home games before we play for the national championship in Santa Barbara.''
Mattocks, a freshman forward, scored the final two goals, one in the 56th minute, and one in the 70th minute. Both goals were from 15 yards out and went into the bottom right of the net.
''This is just the beginning for this team,'' said Mattocks, who has a team-high 15 goals. ''This team is peaking at the right time. Caleb Porter is keeping this team sharp, but most importantly he is keeping us hungry.''
Nagbe and senior midfielder Anthony Ampaipitakwong assisted on Mattocks' first goal and freshman midfielder Eric Stevenson assisted on Mattocks' second goal.
The Zips controlled possession throughout the match and held an advantage in shots (18-6) and shots on goal (10-3).
''We played textbook Akron soccer,'' Porter said.
Sophomore goalkeeper David Meves made three saves and got the shutout with assistance from his defense, Sarkodie, senior Chris Korb, sophomore Zarek Valentin and sophomore Chad Barson.
Junior Michael Nanchoff and freshman Perry Kitchen also helped UA dictate the match as starting midfielders.
''From start to finish, that was Akron soccer today,'' Mattocks said. ''This team is jelling together, we are playing together and we are having fun together.''
Notebook
This is the 25th time UA has qualified for the NCAA Tournament since the program started in 1955. Its first appearance in the tournament came in 1961. UA has won eight MAC Tournament titles and 13 MAC regular season titles — six in a row — since joining the league in 1993. . . . Mattocks, Ampaipitakwong, Nanchoff and Caldwell were named to the MAC All-Tournament Team.
Party at Barley House
UA is hosting an NCAA Men's Soccer Selection Show Watch Party at the Barley House today starting at 4 p.m. The 48-team field for the 2010 NCAA Tournament will be announced on ESPNU at approximately 4:30 p.m.
UA alumni and fans are encouraged to attend the free event, which will feature an appearance by Porter, the four-time MAC Coach of the Year and reigning NSCAA National Coach of the Year.
The Barley House is located at 222 South Main St., near UA.
