Z.I.P.

Toe-poke goal for Agunbiade. VAR check? Looked good to me!

As Jared told Chad, Akron was the far more aggressive and dominant team that first half. Just gotta keep it up the 2nd stanza. Sure would like a goal from run-of-play. We need to finish our opportunities. Have you heard that before?

The review in Akron's defensive goal area was much more of a penalty than what was called on the Billiken keeper, in my opinion. Ref might get Akron's game ball! 😆

Borneo PK score. Strange penalty granted after VAR review on keeper interference. Thanks, ref!

Both teams playing very physically. Agumbiale took an elbow to the temple in the box. Penalty? No foul call!

Whoa! Chad Welker on the @ESPNU color! Interesting. We're gathered at Pau Hana Bar on O'ahu. #GoZips!!!!!!

When I turn on ESPNU, my cable directory for 1 p.m. Hawai'i Standard Time shows "Men's College Soccer from Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio". So the ticket demand was so great the game had to be moved to a larger venue? Doh! #GoAK Rowdies!!

Still waiting to find out: Who's Clara? 🤔

I feel a need to object to this statement. I know there is much frustration that the Women's team hasn't been competitive in the MAC in a long time. However, the idea that the players are not "D1 caliber" is based on that frustration I think rather than actual analysis. I believe virtually every recruit over the past 3 years or so has had ECNL experience, which is the highest level of competition in girls youth soccer. The team's talent is sufficient to compete at the middle of the Mid-American Conference, or at least the 3rd quartile. They are not the worst MAC team on paper. Emma King had, what, 186 goals for Manchester High School? UMass who we lost MAC game 1 to is one of the league favorites. There's no reason why the team can't come away with a few conference wins over the next 6 weeks. Then, hopefully the AD comes up with a full-time coach with the resumé that deserves to coach a program with Akron's facilities and potential. It looks like the women draw some fans. I hope the community is behind the program and the department sees the obvious potential in Women's Soccer at Akron.

ESPNU Broadcast! Does anyone remember the last time an Akron soccer game was nationally broadcast? Was it the (2018?) National Title match versus Maryland? I'll do my best to take a work break to see this one. #GoZips!

A friend told me the Akron first half goal was Sports Center Number One Play of the day. Anyone else catch that?

Final score???

Which makes you wonder. How can anyone take the Top Drawer poll seriously?

Speaking of Gaucho Dan, UC-Santa Barbara are playing #10 Marshall in Huntington right now I believe. Update: It's 1-0 Herd in the 25th minute. Up update: Marshall beat UCSB 4-0 and are now #6 in the coaches poll.

Seems like Akron is the better team today, just can't manage to get it into the onion sack. 10 shots to 5. 5 corners to 2. 10 minutes to make it 1-1, or we fall for first time

Portland Pilots, my bestie's alma mater has played 6. They're now 5-0-1 and have allowed exactly ZERO goals. Biggest win: 1-0 over Wisconsin in Madison. I wonder how many D1 teams have a clean sheets for the season right now? I know two!! 😉

If it's available anywhere please post it here! 🤗

They've matched the 2010 team with six clean sheets out the gate! We had some truly remarkably talented fullbacks on that team. 'Z' Valentin, Chad Barson and Kofie Sarkodie. And record-setting GK David Meves in net. Wow! Could Mitch Budler be remembered in the same way as Meves? Dare I ask...Where's the College Cup in December?

On the bright side...Akron did not lose to Bryant today!

Creighton 2 Denver 0.

Free admission! Did they announce attendance? What is your guess at the number at Owens Stadium?

Remind me again. How many goals have the Zips allowed this season?? 🤭

The announcer said "Ohio State calling for a penalty", when Akron had the ball in the Buckeyes defensive half! 😆

Reading the preview of Hawaii's game tomorrow versus the Sam Houston State Bearkats, the Honolulu Star Advertiser writer is gushing and flowing in his praise of Antavious Fish. There are two long paragraphs dedicated to A Fish loaded with stories and clichés about his strength and his nautical name going back to using couch cushions as a tackling dummy at age-3. It doesn't specify, but I'm guessing he leads TSU in tackles so far. Apparently he was prepared to look to the NFL after 2024, until he learned his season at Coffeyville CC allowed him an extra season as a grad student in NCAA football. Partial text: "In the 3-3 or 4-2 front, Fish is a downhill run-gap filler, perimeter setter or 8-yard blitzer. With upper body strength (23 bench reps of 225 lbs.) Fish is a 'corner-turner' who can circle around a blockers punch."

Story time: Dominick Raiola the QB's dad is a friend. 30+ yrs ago I sat at many U of Hawai'i baseball games with him and his two sons, both of whom went on to play center in the NFL. Dominick played football at the U. in Miami and when he learned I was from Akron he talked all about his former teammate Jay Brophy from Kenmore High. They were very close in college and maintained contact for a while after, when Jay played for the Dolphins. Well, I discovered Brophy in a Facebook discussion a few years ago with another friend who may or may not be here on ZN.org. I started a side talk with Jay, telling him I knew his former U of M teammate, and asking if he had any stories about Dominick Raiola. His only remark back was that because of the number of times he was hit in the head in his playing days, he could not remember ANY of his teammates and has difficulty even remembering anything about his football career without being prompted by his friends and family. This reality about what happens as a result of our National Passtime makes me very reticent to adopt any emotional closeness to the sport.