Akron Women’s Soccer: 2011 In Review
AKRON, Ohio - A third consecutive advancement to the Mid-American Conference Tournament, a trio of players on all-conference teams, and an away win over No. 31 Michigan highlighted the 2011 University of Akron women's soccer season.
"We showed a lot of progression during the 2011 season," UA coach Chris Pfau said. "We were competitive in every game we played and this will help us greatly in continuing to build the program."
UA finished the 2011 season by earning the program's third-straight – and third all-time – conference tournament berth.
"Our improvement is clear to see," Pfau stated. "I look forward to seeing how our talented incoming class will gel with our experienced returners in 2012."
2011 Season Notebook
- Akron qualified for its third-straight Mid-American Conference Tournament in 2011. The Zips had never qualified for the MAC Tournament prior to the 2009 season. UA has gone 11-3-1 against MAC East sides in the last three seasons.
- Senior Rachel Phillip ended her excellent Akron career with five goals, propelling her to second on the career goals list with 17 tallies. Phillip will also end her career third on the all-time points list with 39.
- The Zips rose as high as No. 7 in the NSCAA Great Lakes Region Coaches Poll – the highest-ranking UA has attained in program history.
- Senior midfielder Jordan Clark also etched her name into the Akron record books, passing former teammate Leigh Cullen for the most career appearances (76) in an Akron uniform.
- Also ending her excellent Akron career with her name all over the program record book is senior keeper Jeny Wolbert. Wolbert – who set the career saves record in 2010 – grabbed the record for most career goalkeeping wins and single season shutouts in 2011. Wolbert also owns the record for saves in a season. Wolbert was nationally ranked as high as 39th in goals against average and 26th in save percentage during the season.
- Wolbert was twice named MAC Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 22, Sept. 26). She earned the honor after shutting out Michigan, and again when she kept a pair of clean sheets in back-to-back games against Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan.
"We've been playing great defensively as a team the last few weeks, so this award is really a testament to our whole team," Wolbert said on Sept. 26. "Keeping clean sheets is always our goal defensively and it takes a solid team effort from everyone on the field to get the job done."
- Three Zips were named Second-Team All-MAC after the season, with Wolbert, Clark, and sophomore defender Amber Kern all being honored. It was the highest number of all-conference awards earned by the program in its 11-year history.
"I am very proud for the team and these three players for these awards," Pfau said at the time of the awards. "The leadership from both Jordan and Jeny was a huge reason for our success this season. Amber Kern's performances were consistently high throughout the fall and contributed largely to our defensive national rankings during most of the season."
"This is the most players named to either the first or second team in the history of our program," Pfau continued. "The success of the team this season, as evident by these awards, will allow us to continue build a solid foundation for this program and keep pushing us to bigger things."
- Akron opened the 2011 season by defeating No. 31 Michigan in Ann Arbor, 1-0. It was the first-ever victory for an Akron side over a ranked opponent.
- The Zips were the only MAC team to take points from both Central Michigan and Toledo, the conference's top two teams in the regular season. Akron tied both the Chippewas and the Rockets.
- Akron earned the NSCAA Academic Award for its work in the classroom in 2011. Individually, Jordan Clark and Kara Cooper both earned Academic All-MAC honors after the season.
- 2011 marked the second season at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field, with Akron leading the MAC in attendance. The Zips played in front of record crowd of 942 against Bowling Green on Oct. 14.
