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UA falls in Illinois snow after 'home game' moves because of Akron's field
Published on Monday, Dec 01, 2008
Beacon Journal staff report
The University of Akron men's soccer team's bizarre 2008 NCAA Tournament experience came to an end Sunday afternoon in Evanston, Ill.
The fifth-seeded Zips lost 1-0 to host Northwestern on the artificial turf at Lakeside Field before a crowd of 568.
Senior Geoff Fallon scored his first goal of the season off an assist from sophomore Jack Hillgard in the 61st minute to propel Northwestern into the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
''They finished their chance, their one moment,'' UA coach Caleb Porter said by telephone. ''This sport comes down to you have to finish. We never saw it coming. We were so much in control of the game at that time. It caught us off guard. I give them credit. Northwestern did what they needed to.''
UA (17-2-4) was playing at unseeded Northwestern (15-4-3) because the NCAA Men's Soccer Committee ruled UA's Lee Jackson Field unplayable after snow, rain and strong winds last week tore up grass and made the surface muddy.
The Zips and Wildcats didn't encounter comfortable weather Sunday because Lakeside Field is positioned close to Lake Michigan. Temperatures were in the low 30s and rain turned into snow as the game progressed. Heavy winds belted everyone in attendance as lake waves were visible from the stadium.
''We played under very tough conditions,'' Porter said. ''It was mostly the wind that everyone had to deal with. We were right there near the water. That was the factor that affected our game the most, but both teams had to deal with it. In the first half, I thought it helped them and it affected us, and then in the second half, I thought it helped us and affected them.''
UA, which is ranked No. 4 in the NSCAA/adidas poll, received a bye in the first round and had the potential to host two or three games at home.
Instead, the Zips played Ohio State in a second-round game on the artificial turf Wednesday at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School's complex before driving by bus to Evanston. UA defeated OSU 1-0 in double overtime.
''We are not got going to focus on the negatives,'' Porter said. ''I do feel very badly for my seniors that earned home-field advantage and did not get a chance to play at Lee Jackson Field. I also feel bad for my entire team and the fans that supported us all season.''
UA held a 14-7 advantage in shots, including a 12-2 edge in the
second half, but could not score.
Northwestern had four shots on goal to UA's three.
Zips freshman forward Teal Bunbury had two shots on goal and sophomore forward Steve Zakuani had one. UA's best scoring chance came in the 64th minute, when junior Ben Zemanski, a Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy graduate, took a shot that banged off the crossbar.
Zakuani recently was named the Player of the Season by Top Drawer Soccer, a publication that also selected Bunbury and freshman forward Darlington Nagbe for its all-rookie first-team. Zakuani, one of 15 semifinalists for the men's 2008 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, finished the season as the nation's leader in goals (20) and points (47).
''We proved throughout the regular season that we were one of the best teams in the country,'' Portis said. ''I really thought we had enough to win the national championship, but we fell short.''
The Zips defense, which consists of fifth-year senior Evan Bush (goalkeeper), sophomore Chris Korb, freshman Kofi Sarkodie and redshirt freshmen Aaron Henkle and Matt Dagilis (Firestone), was steady. The unit posted 14 shutouts this season.
The setback marked the end of four seniors' careers at UA. Bush, Matt Tutich, Ossie Michalsen and Andrew Tipton (Lake) were the last link to the 2005 Zips team that was ranked No. 1 in the country for four weeks.
''We will miss our seniors a lot,'' Porter said. ''They have done a tremendous job of raising the standard here. This will not be the last you hear of Akron on the national scene.''
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 07:55 AM, 12/01/2008
It makes no sense to me to be playing soccer in November and December.
Posted 09:20 AM, 12/01/2008
My family and I traveled all the way to Northwestern to watch the ZIPS!! What a game! What weather !!! YUK! We were proud of the TEAM! I think we all made the best of a bad call from the NCAA. I know if it had been in Akron the attendence would have been doubled if not tripled. I think for sure there were more ZIPS fans than Northwestern fans. We want to thank you for great season. And know you made us all proud to be ZIPS!!!
hudson, oh
Posted 09:31 AM, 12/01/2008
All Zips teams are losers. Let's eliminate all the sports,save the money, and add parking lots instead of more Jocks!
Akron, OH
Posted 09:58 AM, 12/01/2008
Great job Zips!
Mark, go get a real life instead of berating others.
Posted 10:19 AM, 12/01/2008
Mark is always on here being a negative nancy, he's a cant state fan ignore him.
Let's not forget to note that the field at northwestern was soaked yesterday and that the weather there was far worse than here in NE Ohio.
GREAT CALL NCAA...morons
Akron, OH
Posted 10:47 AM, 12/01/2008
Come next season, such matches could be transferred to InfoCision Stadium. No longer a need for the NCAA to forfiet UA's home field advantage due to Jackson Field mud. Let's hope they can replace the grad talent.
hudson, oh
Posted 11:52 AM, 12/01/2008
The new Akron Stadium will hurt Northeast Ohio's economy: Tuition will definitely be higher to pay for the new stadium, it's daily maintenence, and utility bills. If you think it will make money you are a fool or lying to yourself. Anything that makes college less affordable is bad for the region. Enrollment will decrease due to higher fees, the area will have less students in college, less with degrees, and more struggling to pay bills. The stadium makes alumni and the 'student-athletes' feel great, but just ask a tuition paying student what they think. Paying $700 a semester for books is one thing, but hundreds of dollars of general fees each semester, of which the University admits goes to funding athletics, is another. Thank God I've no children to inherit this boondoggle!
Posted 02:50 PM, 12/01/2008
I agree with one thing that you said, Mark. It's the "thank God I've no children" part :)
Akron, Oh
Posted 02:50 PM, 12/01/2008
Typical angry, bitter Mark. He hates anything that is optimistic and is pretty stupid on top of that. Mark you haven't a clue about The University of Akron and its stadium. Tuition will not be used to pay for the stadium. That has been repeated to slow learners like yourself a million times.
But then again, you don't want to be confused by the facts. You will twist facts and make outright false statements in order to vent your hatefull, unhappy spleen.
Mark, the only truth you give us in your diatribes is that you are a very tragic person. I imagine Hell itself would vomit you back out!
Posted 06:13 PM, 12/01/2008
One more bitter piece of irony is that the University of Chicago - Illinois vs. North Carolina NCAA soccer game was moved from Chicago to Carey, NC because of rain/wet weather concerns prior to the contest; yet the ship Akron to Evanston, IL to play Northwestern on a field that sits a few hundred yards from Lake Michigan? The Chicago Sunday forecast was for snow showers, blowing wind and rain - maybe the BCS computer pumped out the soccer schedules as well...
Posted 06:16 PM, 12/01/2008
Good afternoon NCAA Men’s NCAA Soccer Tournament Committee -
I am writing to express to you the frustration and disappointment that all University of Akron Men’s Soccer players, fans and alumni are feeling today after the disappointing NCAA Soccer Tournament loss yesterday to Northwestern in Evanston, IL. Congratulations are in order to Northwestern for their hard fought victory, they did enough to win and will therefore advance and they are to be commended for that.
That said the fact that the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament Committee chose to move the game to Evanston, IL was disgraceful, and the lack of due diligence and process behind the decision even more disheartening. The University of Akron was never given the opportunity to propose their approach to preparing Akron’s home field {Lee Jackson Field} for a Sunday match and the fact that the committee rushed to make a decision immediately following the Akron vs. Ohio State contest is confusing and dysfunctional to say the least.
Posted 07:29 PM, 12/01/2008
Congratulations to The University of Akron Men's Soccer Team on a fantastic season. What the NCAA did was wrong... but Akron soccer fans thank you for playing The Beautiful Game so very well this year and giving us a season to remember! Cheers & Good Luck!
