Zips Tie Horizon League Champion, Milwaukee, 0-0 in Opener

Friday, August 18

Akron, OH

7 pm

University of Akron

0-0-1

Milwaukee

0-0-1

OT 3

OT 4

Milwaukee

Akron

Photo by: David Dermer

Zips Tie Horizon League Champion, Milwaukee, 0-0 in Opener

August 18 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

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AKRON, Ohio – An exciting contest between the Zips and the defending Horizon League champions, Milwaukee, resulted in a double-overtime, 0-0, draw on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet field to open the 2017 regular season.

The Zips who started off the game shaky and with a couple mistakes turned up the pressure as the game went on and into the second half and overtime periods to take the advantage in possession.

Offensively for Akron, the team totaled 16 shots in the match including seven that came on frame. Thanks to the Panthers goalkeeper, Mallory Geurts, Milwaukee was able to keep the Zips off the board in the closing minutes despite good looks at the net.

Junior Erica Schrader (Blacklick, Ohio) paced the Zips with five shots, two on goal, followed by sophomore Catie Corrigan (Avon Lake, Ohio) posting four shots, two on goal, and junior Shea O'Brien (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) and Ally Brown (Batavia, Ohio) each with a pair.

In the net, freshman Amani Jiu (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was spectacular for the Zips and recorded her first collegiate shutout in her first college start, along with nine big saves. On the opposite side of the field, Guerts made six saves including two key saves in the OT periods.

Corrigan got the Zips in the box score with a shot in the 13' of the game. The forward possessed the ball at the top of the box down the right side of the field and took a shot that strayed wide of goal.

Milwaukee nearly gained the lead at the 15:39 mark of the first half but a diving stop by Jiu denied the Panthers of their opportunity.

Akron's best chance to score in the first half came off the foot of Brown. The freshman forward received a ball crossed into the box, and got a touch on the ball, but it dribbled just past the right post and out of play.

Five minutes into the second half, Akron was fouled just outside of the box. O'Brien stepped up to the ball for the free kick and went for it all but again the shot went wide right.

In the 64', the Zips registered back-to-back shots by Schrader and freshman Lauren Lambert (Stoutsville, Ohio. Schrader's first shot was saved by Guerts. Lambert rebounded the keeper's deflection, planted, and shot the ball, but a Milwaukee defender stepped in the way.

With the time winding down, junior Rachel Baughman recorded a header in the 80' that knocked off the post that would have put the Zips ahead.

After 90 minutes of play, Akron and Milwaukee headed into overtime.

The Panthers recorded two shots on goal in the initial overtime period, but Jiu was there each time to make the play.

Akron really turned on another gear in the final overtime period. Five of their 16 shots came in the last 10 minutes of play. Corrigan nearly won the game on a golden goal with her shot to the left side of the net but a Panther defender was standing in the way.

Despite a couple opportunities when the clock hit zero, the game remained scoreless ending in a 0-0 draw.