Akron v.s. Hartwick, the best sporting experience of my life thus far

[cms133@uakron.edu]

That game was simply unbelievable. I've gotta go but I'll probably come back and tell you my story. I want to hear how it went for other people. POST UP!!

[ZachTheZip]

Very entertaining, but also very nerve-wracking.The team finally looked like the team I watched all season in the second half. Such a slump during the MSU game and Hartwick.The AK-Rowdies gave it everything they had to try and will the team to victory, which wasn't much since many of them had already lost their voices by the time the game started.

[GoZips]

My impressions:Hartwick is far and away the dirtiest opponent the Zips have faced in a couple of years. The sad partis that they are talented enough to not need using dirty tactics. "Hacking" is the term if I remember.Hartwick spent the entire game chucking whichever Zip was handling the ball, mostly in the back.Despite repeated complaining by Akron fans, including one young Rowdie coming down the sidelinesto berate the linesman for his lack of calls (I completely agree).Eventually it caught up with Hartwick when one of their players was red carded (no yellow card involved).In a sense, playing a man down cost Hartwick the game. In my opinion, had the officials called a fairgame it never would have gotten out of hand. Tempers flared several times including at game's end.The Hartwick head coach frog marched his team off the field without shaking hands with the Zip players.His reason, "one of the Akron fans stole his goalie's water bottle". Would the thief please return theprecious water bottle? I know this because the coach berated me personally for calling out his shamplayers for their dirty tactics. Of course, stupid me, I failed to realize at the time that their raw playhas been taught to them by this coach. Once again the Zips got an easy, early goal which seemed to lull the Zips into complacency. Hartwickresponded with two well played goals to take the lead. Hartwick led at halftime 2-1. The second halfwas literally all Akron as the Zips pressed their attack for the full forty-five minutes.Hartwick is a scary, good team that Akron will face again in a week.Bad news, Michigan State lost to Northwestern 1-0. A MSU win would have helped the Zips. I heardseveral predictions that this battle against Hartwick cost Akron a top for seed. Not sure that I acceptthat analysis.

[Let'sGoZips94]

WHAT A GAME! The first goal for the Zips was very pretty. Curving it over the line of Hartwick players and into the goal. Then Hartwick responded with what I consider 2 to-perfection-goals meaning you couldn't have executed better than they did. The first was a cross that was beautifully headed in. The second was a sweet shot where the player just jumped and shot it in (if I'm not mistaken). Akron looked pretty sloppy the rest of the first half. Coming into the second half, Hartwick stacked 11 players into the box and Akron couldn't do much. Finally we broke the ice and got a goal with around like 20 minutes left. The goal was a pass that wasn't touched and just flew into the goal. That tied it at 2-2. That made Hartwick play offense if they wanted to win, meaning they couldn't stack the box (as easily). This completely gave the green flag for the Zips to just start ripping shots . One just nicked the top of the goal post. Another was saved. Then the red card occurred. I can't really tell you what happened, I wasn't really paying attention to that spot at the time, but all I know was "Potato" was knocked down pretty harshly and then the color red in a form of a rectangle came into the air. This took away Hartwick's 11th player and pretty much gave the game to the Zips. The final goal was so gorgeous. A split the defense pass led to the goal when the goalie came out to try to stop the play. Well, Jeremy, you weren't stopping that. That was pretty much the game. With around 35 seconds left, Akron got into Hartwick's heads and just made them keep kicking it out so the time was wasted. This is when Hartwick got mad and a fight occurred. Such an intense game! I loved it. But for the future Zips, can we please make sure we keep the lead when we score that early? I thought I was going to after Hartwick took the lead. I agree with Go Zips when he says they are the dirtiest team. Lots of cheap shots. Should have been better officiating. But I can't complain. We won! 18-0-0. About the seeding and this game affecting it, I say no way. Strength of schedule is bull crap when you go undefeated in the regular season. So what that Northwestern beat Michigan State. Akron played the best of the Big Ten (minus Northwestern) and beat them all. We beat everyone, and we'll get rewarded. We're the soccer kings! WE ARE AKRON! WE ARE AKRON! WE ARE SOCCER KINGS! Now let's finish strong and when the rest of the games, including the NCAA tourney! 7 games left until !

[meatwad]

WHAT A GAME! The first goal for the Zips was very pretty. Curving it over the line of Hartwick players and into the goal.

I was on the side the Zips were attacking and it occurred to me that many Rowdies to not realize what happened on this goal...No doubt it was a great shot by Ampi off the free kick, but the ball hit just underneath the crossbar and came almost straight down. It would not have gone in the goal except it hit off the goalie's back and trickled over the line. Keep that in mind when/if we play Hartwick next weekend... he scored on himself! (Ampi I'm sure still got credit for the goal, but Jeremy definitely put it in).I'm curious... could anyone on the hill see that from where you were?

[Hilltopper]

Heres is the definition of a dirty player.I'm thinking she took a few lessons from Singletary!

[Captain Kangaroo]

I heard several predictions that this battle against Hartwick cost Akron a top four seed.

Why do you even post stupid stuff like this? What's your angle?

[w00t]

Bad news, Michigan State lost to Northwestern 1-0. A MSU win would have helped the Zips. I heardseveral predictions that this battle against Hartwick cost Akron a top for seed. Not sure that I acceptthat analysis.

I would hope you don't accept that analysis, because it's nonsense.Anyway, if you'd have told me before the season started that the Zips would own a perfect 18-0-0 record, never need overtime to close out a feisty opponent who packed the box just hoping to tie #1, and that the total time we'd spend behind on the scoreline for the season would be a whopping 35 minutes out of 1,620... I'd have said you're nuts. Soccer balls bounce funny sometimes and I can't think of a sport that's kinder to the fortunes of the weaker side, and yet they still pulled it off. It was a great regular season, but I doubt that the time will sit around enjoying that accomplishment too long. Hopefully seven more games remain.Is it too early to ask where the selection show viewing party will be held next Monday? If we close out NIU and Hartwick! (or WMU) next weekend, I can't imagine not seeing the Zips as the top overall seed on the College Cup bracket.

[zip37]

GOTTA DITTO HARTWICK BEING A DIRTY TEAM, THEY SEEMED MORE INTERESTED IN HARM THAN VICTORY.

[cms133@uakron.edu]

So after the football game, which was awesome in an of itself, me and a couple buddies walked up and down Exchange trying to find a place for food that wasn't packed. It was actually kind of cool, I've never exited the stadium from the south exit before and saw all the peeps walkin' around. We ended up having to settle for McDonald's, which was fine with me, and after downing a bacon and cheese third pound angus burger, fries, and a coke, I felt that I had enough calories to go to a University of Akron Men's Soccer game. From Exchange we walked along the West side of Lee Jackson Field behind the net with the scoreboard reading Zips-1 Guest-0, a familiar sight... All of a sudden we heard a RESOUNDING Z..I.. from the stands, answered by another resounding P...S... from the pouch. It literally sounded exactly like it does at the Info, with that same intensity and magnitude. "Holy Shit" my friend uttered as we looked through the fence and saw the huge, screaming crowd. Our excitement grew from there. We entered the field and made our way through the crowd to our usual spot, right behind the goal, a little to the right of the center of the field. It was there that I witnessed two things, one very uncommon thing and one that had remained un-witnessed all year, in fact, un-witnessed for 50 some odd games at Lee Jackson Field. The first, a goal scored by the opposing team, a cross from a mid-fielder to, presumably a forward standing in front of the goal. He sent it sailing immediately from the pass to the right Meves, past his hands, and into the net. It was actually a very pretty score but left me wondering how the scorer was so open and why he had a straight shot of the goal. The latter, another goal, with basically the same idea, cross and shoot. They put us down 2-0 in the first half and we were losing, for the first time to my knowledge, and at home... What I saw of the first half reminded me much of what I saw in the first half of the MSU game, but worse. We looked lethargic and like we didn't even care that this was the last game of a possibly undefeated season. They were sloppy, particularly on their passing and control, which is something I thought I would never see, and they didn't seem to be playing with intensity..at all. It's a feeling I hope I seldom have to feel again. My friends and I were astounded. We were losing the last game of the greatest regular season in school history. I remember my buddy saying how he couldn't believe we were down and how our team lacked the aggression that we had seen all year. I told him that I thought we would turn up the heat in the second half and that hopefully, Hartwick would get worn out and let some goals in. Soon after the first half had ended, Willy, one of the higher-ups in the Rowdies turned around and silenced the crowd. His voice was leaving him but he still managed to scream his speech to the crowd and get us into the game. He told us how we were dealing with perfection, and how we haven't been down going in to the second half in 57? games at home. He told us that "WE DO NOT LOSE AT HOME", and he told us that Hartwick and particularly Hartwick's goalie didn't care about our season and our team. He said that our guys needed us and that this was our time to scream. After his rousing the pouch erupted with excitement and the electricity stayed with us, from that point on, till we all went home that night. Hartwick's team came back on the field and their goalie was met with a barrage of never ending screams, boos, and insults, this time, worse than all the goalies that had come before him. Poor Jeremy... The second half started and as I had expected, we turned up the heat...a lot... It was amazing to me how much energy and aggression our team was playing with right before my eyes. Literally no ball went un-chased. If a Hartwick played managed to gain possession, someone in an Akron jersey would be running full bore to catch him and steal that ball. Within 15 minutes of half-time, our players ignited on the field, with all passes made in precision, all players from the other team pressured, and all plays conducted maximally, not only physically, but mentally. It was then that I noticed the "dirtiness" of the Hartwick players. It became undeniable when Sarkodie had the ball, got pressured by a defender and made a move to pass the ball to the center. When he did this he turned his back and made a few steps. Before he made those steps the defender had attempted, with both hands to push Sarkodie away, literally shove his back. Since Sarkodie moved to pass, the Hartwick player missed and stumbled forwad a bit, arms still extended. It was so obvious what he intended to do and was only reiterated by the rest of their team, grabbing and tripping, doing anything to get ahead. Saturday's game was the first time I had actually screamed obscenities at an opposing player, not to mention a Referee. At the top of my lungs I let the goalie have it, me and thousands of others in attendance. I don't know if it was the excitement or that the foul play on the field was truly call worthy, but missed call after missed call by the Ref earned him a good amount of harassment as well, probably to last him a couple of seasons. Our equalizer came as presumably a pass to Teal, but instead hit the back of the net and tied the game. Relief and anticipation ensued. When the Zips turn the heat up, they turn it up... I can count on my hand how many times I remember a Hartwick player with the ball in our territory in the second half. Witnessing this, I knew the shots would come for us and eventually, some how we would score. Beyond all else, it's simple probability. The tension heated up and the physicality of the came reached a level that I hadn't seen before. It was awesome. Time was getting low, or at least it seemed so considering it was the second half and we weren't winning. Finally, the third goal. Regardless of the reported accuracy of Ampi's shot, which honestly is somewhat of a blur to me, this goal was beautiful. I remember the pass that came from the heel of our player, (and correct me if I'm wrong) who spun around and somehow passed it perfectly to an uncovered Ampi, who then gained control of the ball, dribbled, sized up the goal, and shot. I wish I could see some sort of slow motion replay of that play and then the reaction we had behind the goal. Screams, arms, and red Gatorade filled the air in complete celebration. Immense high fiving ensued. Nearing the end, Willy told us to group up to the left of the goal for "THE BIGGEST I BELIEVE EVER". Fast forward. With the seconds counting down, to be blunt, Hartwick lost it's cool. There was a commotion between Teal and an opposing defender that nearly came to a fight. I don't think the defender took into account where he was at the time as some of us started moving under the yellow rope to have Teal's back. We screamed and yelled at the kid and as the clock ran out, he got to spend the last seconds of this game with thousands of people an inch away from converging on him. I honestly worried for him when Teal started to gesture some "put up or shut up". The clock ran out and instead of waiting to go onto the field as we usually do we burst onto the grass. We stormed the field, flooding the box with Rowdies. Their goalie came back to get his water bottle or something which no doubt was being trampled by our stampede and got into some sort of shoving match with some of us. This happened right in front of me so I got to see Meves come, to the aid of this opposing goalie, and attempt to settle things, only to be shoved aside by Jeremy, who just got his ass handed to him. That pissed me off so much and I remember the look on David's face like, "What the hell??". We circled around our players in celebration and it was awesome. With C.J. on someone's shoulders, we started our "I believe chant" but modified it to " I BELIEVE WE'RE UN-DEFEATED". Ben Zemanski came up to me and my friend and high fived us saying "Thank you" and I high fived Matthew Mason, him being all smiles saying "YEAH BABY". We then all got in a huge circle, joined arms, my buddy in my left and me holding some little girls arm on my right, and started singing our soccer tune. I could barely hit some of the notes my voice was so bad. Then all of a sudden rushed the center of the circle and celebrated some more. My friends and I took some pictures and conversed while still on the field about what we had just experienced. Simply amazing and truly a memory I will never forget. I loved seeing the players with their families and friends. Anthony's dad looked so proud of him and I'm just now realizing how cool it was that the player's parents all came on the field and found their sons at center field for congratulations. After a while the crowd slowly dispersed. I saw Zemanski one more time walking over to a group of family or friends and pointed my finger in the air for #1. He smiled and thanked me again. Hartwick was no where to be seen and I wouldn't have had it any other way. We grabbed some more pics, made sure we had one of the scoreboard, and made our way back home. We didn't stop talking about how amazing that game was the whole way and kept replaying it in our minds. We got home and told everyone in my apartment what had went on and I could only feel bad that they had missed it. I grabbed my phone to call my dad back, since he had called me during the game and I had told him I couldn't talk, and saw I had a text message from him. It read "YEA, GO ZIPS!!!". Upon calling him I learned that they were watching the game on game tracker from gozips.com and then proceeded to tell him about the football game and the awesomeness of the soccer game that we had just witnessed. He was happy for me. IF ANYONE HAS ANY SORT OF VIDEO OF THIS GAME OR KNOWS HOW TO GET IT LET ME KNOW, I NEED TO SHOW MY FAMILY THIS GAME. So all in all, I can honestly say that this was probably the best weekend I have ever had as a zip. The opening of the info and the soccer game vs Hartwick are in my head fighting for first place and Basketball hasn't even started yet. It's a good time to be a ZIP.P.S. Just to stir up some commotion, while people were leaving the field I noticed Tom Wistricill and and elderly gentleman with a Zips hat on talking and making their way to the exit. I pointed him out to my friend who had asked me about him earlier. About 100ft from the corner Tom and the man he was with stopped and turned around. Facing exchange street Tom began motion his hands in the air, as if painting some sort of mental picture for the man he was with. I could only let my mind run wild thinking of the possibilities of what or new soccer stadium would look like. You guys can make your own call but I know for a fact what him and that old man were talking about.... GO ZIPS!

[cms133@uakron.edu]

Taken from a phone

[Zip_ME87]

I heard several predictions that this battle against Hartwick cost Akron a top four seed.

Why do you even post stupid stuff like this? What's your angle?

I agree CK. Also, the makeup of this year's championship committee should help with fairness toward the Zips. From pages 8/9 of the 2009 DIVISION IMEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP HANDBOOK:The NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship is under the control, direction and supervision of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Committee. Current members of the committee are as follows:Al Albert, College of William and MaryJohn Bluem, The Ohio State UniversityElmar Bolowich, University of North Carolina, Chapel HillJohn Diffley, St. John’s University (New York), chairCharlie Elwood, Fordham UniversityKurt Esser, University of New MexicoMike Getman, University of Alabama at BirminghamMary Lu Gribschaw, University of AkronDiane O’Brien, University of California, Santa BarbaraSeth Roland, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Metropolitan

[Z.I.P.]

Also, the makeup of this year's championship committee should help with fairness toward the Zips. From pages 8/9 of the 2009 DIVISION IMEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP HANDBOOK:The NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship is under the control, direction and supervision of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Committee. Current members of the committee are as follows:Al Albert, College of William and MaryJohn Bluem, The Ohio State UniversityElmar Bolowich, University of North Carolina, Chapel HillJohn Diffley, St. John’s University (New York), chairCharlie Elwood, Fordham UniversityKurt Esser, University of New MexicoMike Getman, University of Alabama at BirminghamMary Lu Gribschaw, University of AkronDiane O’Brien, University of California, Santa BarbaraSeth Roland, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Metropolitan

I'd look for St John's to somehow squeeze into the field. On the other hand, the other top-5 pre-season team that has struggled, Creighton, may need divine intervention. AND New Mexico will aided by the fact that it's their men's and not their women's team that's in question! UNM BYU

[Dr Z]

Heres is the definition of a dirty player.

That was awesome. If you can't beat 'em, cheat 'em. BTW, if asked, I would have properly predicted that score.