WVU

[zip37]

Last time they were here, they were big and physical, I assume they are the same now; anybody know foir sure?

[UAZipster0305]

Last I saw them, we beat tWVU 5-0 on a snow covered Lee Jackson Field in the NCAA Tournament (circa 2004).

I expcect WVU to be respectable, but we should have no problem in taking care of business.

[GoZips88]

West Virginia NCAA Tournament Notes courtesy of UA.

[Johnny Utah]

From www.goal.com

Akron (18-1-1) vs West Virginia (11-2-7)

4:00 PM

Breakdown: Akron fans are great. I had a few of them send me messages on twitter about the West Virginia-Xavier game. They were just watching to scout their next opponent. Well, Xavier jumped out to an early two goal lead in the first eight minutes. Eventually, West Virginia would battle back and overcome the early deficit on their way to a 4-2 victory. It will give the Mountaineers some confidence heading to Akron with the ability to climb back from an early hole. However, Akron is not Xavier. And there is a reason they are the most feared team in the country. If you give up two goals to Akron in the first eight minutes, you might as well shake Caleb Porter’s hand and start the bus. Otherwise, for the next 82 minutes, the Zips are going to demoralize you with a rousing game of keep-away.

Players to watch:

Kofi Sarkodie, Defense, Akron

Sarkodie should be on the short list of player of the year candidates. Just look at the impact Sarkodie has had on this Akron team when he isn’t on the field. Their offense struggles, their defense starts to look like a leaky pipe, and they really don’t play up to their potential. It is amazing to think a right back who is not known for his defending should be on the list for player of the year, but that is the case with Sarkodie. He makes every player on Akron better when he is on the field. He also is one of the few players in the country who is unanimously regarded as the best at his position. And you better believe West Virginia is studying tapes to figure out a way to stop him.

Zach Johnson, Goalkeeper, West Virginia

The senior keeper will be tested early and often against the Zips. Plus, the atmosphere in Akron will be electric. If Johnson can make the big saves early and hold the Akron offense off the score sheet in the first half, this could be a much closer game than many think. Johnson already is in the record books at West Virginia for saves in a career. It may take him breaking the single game saves record for him to keep his collegiate career alive.

Prediction:

Akron received the third seed in the tournament. Caleb Porter and the rest of his staff are likely using this as motivation. Telling his players, ‘this is what the selection committee and some silly computer program think of you. Now, let’s go into Terminator mode and destroy everyone that gets in our way.’ West Virginia coach Marlon LeBlanc is a fine coach in his own right, and he will have his boys ready for this game. However, he is going up against an insurmountable force. Akron losing at home is unheard of, Akron losing in general has only happened once in two years.

Akron 4-0 West Virginia

[GoZips88]

Never get tired of reading that stuff.

4-0 here as well. Said as much to my son on the way to the Zips b-ball game last night. Hope the Mountaineers can find something else to take back home with them from their weekend trip to Akron. GO ZIPS!!!

[mes102]

Got this in an email today from the Rowdies president:

AK Rowdies faithful-

First of all, I want to thank every last one of you for helping us to another incredible regular season. 18-1-1 playing the #1 non conference schedule in the country is quite a feat and we certainly wouldn’t have been able to do it without you! Like I told you at the rally prior to the opening match of the season--We will do our part on the field and you do your part off the field and together we will be CHAMPIONS! Well now is the REAL season and NOW is the time of the year we need even more. Our goal is to bring home AKRON’s first team national championship in the history of the University. YOU all have a chance to take part and assist us in doing this. WE NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER TO PULL THIS OFF! We have 3 home games to the college cup and this advantage is only an advantage if the AK ROWDIES are the loudest and proudest fans anyone has ever seen!

You have created quite a buzz around the country as the most passionate student soccer supporters in the country. So much that spin off/carbon copy soccer followers are being created in other programs. You have raised the bar for all other student groups to follow and that is a credit to what you have done this year and past years. But we need your best and even a whole new level out of you in these next 3 games. Starting with West Virginia. For 90 minutes they need to feel your spirit and passion and like it’s not 11 players they have to beat but 2000! You are an extension of our team on the field and we need everything you have. Please spread the word. Sunday at 4:00pm. If possible forward this email on to as many other people as you know to get them out to the match. Lets create an atmosphere that is unlike anything else college soccer has ever seen!

Because of your loyalty I will purchase 30 pizzas out of my own pocket to show my appreciation for what you have done. Let everyone know they will have pizza and an opportunity to get behind a team hunting the national championship. You might never again have the opportunity to put on AKRON colors and follow a team on to the national championship. This is something you will remember forever and will tell your kids one day. That you played a part in helping your school win a national championship! So again please spread the word and please come out to support our Zips. Please get out of your dorms/apts and come eat pizza and have a blast on a Sunday as we kick some WVU butt!

Here is a link to a video that will pump you up for the match--THIS IS AKRON!!!

http://www.gozips.com/fls/10800/MSOC/GAMED...DB_OEM_ID=10800

See you on Sunday at 4:00pm and after the game when we will all sing “I believe” together!!!

Coach Porter

Head Coach

AKRON SOCCER

[zipseuph]

mes. that just got me all sorts of pumped!

[UA Fan]

http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_...TCLID=205034628

The game is apparently being streamed for free on ZipsZone and carried on 1350AM which is also broadcasting the Lady Zips basketball home opener at 2:00 today.

[akronad]

As we have said all along, Caleb is a class act.

[MDZip]

Zips up 1-0. The video stream is working very well but I'm getting no audio. Anyone hearing the broadcast from the video stream?

Edit: Audio doesn't matter, it finally came in but its just the field sounds (which is still kind of cool).

UConn goes down (7-6 on PK's), and so does Duke. ACC has only Maryland and UNC left. Not one single Zips opponent has lost yet (Michigan came back too).

[RootforRoo44]

I don't know about you guys but i'm not too worried about what happened tonight.

Yeah the Zips got lazy for a few minutes and allowed a few goals but it happened when we had a 3-0 lead. I just dont see them making the same mistake when up one or tied.

Either way, i'm sure Coach Porter is going to ensure that anyways with some hardcore running this week in practice.

On another note, we need to get more fans to a game like this. Under 3,000?! Are you kidding me?

A lot of Rowdies need to start showing up! Still, the one's that showed up were alright, though even they got a bit lazy at times.

Guys, next week let's kick it up a notch.

Also, ASN coverage.

[GoZips]

I don't know about you guys but i'm not too worried about what happened tonight.

Yeah the Zips got lazy for a few minutes and allowed a few goals but it happened when we had a 3-0 lead. I just dont see them making the same mistake when up one or tied.

This has become a regular feature of the 2010 Zips men's soccer team.

What gives?

This was not a one time event. It has happened repeatedly costing the Zips a win at OSwho and

an embarrassing loss at Cleveland State. It took the shine off a nice win in the MAC tournament

when Western Michigan scored a quick goal late in the game and the Zips up three-nil.

And, Root, it did happen at OSwho and Cleveland State.

So ... where is the problem? We pretty much know that David Meves was the architect of the OSwho

debacle. Can he be blamed for the other games? Is it the defender line, the midfielders, the

attackers or a combination of any and all of them going to sleep? I wonder. What ever it is; it is ugly.

[GoZips]

The news report on West Virginia's web site gives some pretty strong evidence of the problem.

Men's Soccer: WVU Falls to No. 3 Akron

By Grant Dovey for MSNsportsNET.com

November 21, 2010 05:47 PM

AKRON, Ohio – The West Virginia men’s soccer team ended its season with a 3-2 loss at No. 3 Akron in the second round of the NCAA Championship at Lee Jackson Field on Sunday evening.

The Mountaineers finished the season with an 11-8-2 record, including a 10-1 mark at home.

Uzi Tayou

The 10 home victories are tied with the 2006 squad for the most in program history and the 11 win mark was the most since 2007.

“Unfortunately in the last few games we have had to play from behind," coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "I thought that if we have five more minutes with the way the tempo changed throughout that game that we were going to get the third goal.”

The Zips won their 26th consecutive game at home and it was their 37th consecutive game without a loss at home. Akron now awaits the winner of tonight’s Indiana-Tulsa match.

Akron controlled possession to start the game and it only took 11 minutes for the Zips to net their first goal. Anthony Ampaipitakwong took a corner that Darren Mattocks was able to head onto goal. West Virginia sophomore Uwem Etuk was on the goal line, but headed the ball into the net for an own goal.

Mattocks then picked up his second goal in the 30th minute after taking a shot that Johnson originally made a remarkable save on, but the ball trickled past the goal line to put the Zips up 2-0.

The first chance in the second half came in the 60th minute when Mattocks sent a rocket towards the WVU goal. Sophomore defender Eric Schoenle registered the second team save to keep the Akron lead at two.

"We came out of the locker room knowing that the third goal was going to win the game," LeBlanc said. "With our group we made a few adjustments with getting more pressure and guys forward."

Akron notched their third goal in the 69th minute from Scott Caldwell. Caldwell was able to settle the ball from about 22 yards out and took a left-footed shot past Johnson.

Sophomore Shadow Sebele broke the shutout in the 81st minute on a scorcher from 23 yards out that went into the upper left corner past Akron keeper David Meves. Senior Dan Hagey started the West Virginia pressure bringing the ball up the left side of the field. Hagey was able to cross the ball into center of the field to freshman Jay Williams, who played a pass back to Sebele to finish.

Junior Uzi Tayou then cut the Akron lead to one as he scored his first goal of the season in the 85th minute. Tayou took a throw-in from Sebele and headed the ball into the lower right corner past Meves.

The final West Virginia opportunity came in the 87th minute on a blast from junior Franck Tayou that wrapped around the outside of the Akron goal.

While they twice mention Meves, where were the defenders? I'm not so sure that the fault lies with Meves.

Looked to me like the entire team was in a fog, trance, sleep walking, premature celebrating, pick a term.

[jem101]

I don't know about you guys but i'm not too worried about what happened tonight.

Yeah the Zips got lazy for a few minutes and allowed a few goals but it happened when we had a 3-0 lead. I just dont see them making the same mistake when up one or tied.

This has become a regular feature of the 2010 Zips men's soccer team.

What gives?

This was not a one time event. It has happened repeatedly costing the Zips a win at OSwho and

an embarrassing loss at Cleveland State. It took the shine off a nice win in the MAC tournament

when Western Michigan scored a quick goal late in the game and the Zips up three-nil.

And, Root, it did happen at OSwho and Cleveland State.

So ... where is the problem? We pretty much know that David Meves was the architect of the OSwho

debacle. Can he be blamed for the other games? Is it the defender line, the midfielders, the

attackers or a combination of any and all of them going to sleep? I wonder. What ever it is; it is ugly.

I think what happened last night was different than what happened against OSU and CSU. In those games, it wasn't a matter of sleepwalking because we were up three and prematurely celebrating a victory. In those games, we were in a dogfight the whole time. This game, I think we just got a little ahead of ourselves, which won't happen again. When the game was actually in question we dominated.

BTW: What's up with Scott Caldwell? Doesn't score a goal all year, and in three post season games he has three goals. Definitely not going to complain!

[RootforRoo44]

I don't know about you guys but i'm not too worried about what happened tonight.

Yeah the Zips got lazy for a few minutes and allowed a few goals but it happened when we had a 3-0 lead. I just dont see them making the same mistake when up one or tied.

This has become a regular feature of the 2010 Zips men's soccer team.

What gives?

This was not a one time event. It has happened repeatedly costing the Zips a win at OSwho and

an embarrassing loss at Cleveland State. It took the shine off a nice win in the MAC tournament

when Western Michigan scored a quick goal late in the game and the Zips up three-nil.

And, Root, it did happen at OSwho and Cleveland State.

So ... where is the problem? We pretty much know that David Meves was the architect of the OSwho

debacle. Can he be blamed for the other games? Is it the defender line, the midfielders, the

attackers or a combination of any and all of them going to sleep? I wonder. What ever it is; it is ugly.

Ill agree Meves was to blame for OSU AND for a few other goals this year where he was out of position. He seems to be day dreaming at times.

Anyone notice yesterday twice when he turned the ball over lazily? The one time he just rolled it right to a WVU player in front of our goal, luckily a Zips defender bottled him up and reclaimed possession soon after. The other time he just drop kicked a ball out directly to the sideline, it was ridiculous. Something is up with him.

I will say that the CSU game shouldn't be blamed on Meves, he made a few NICE saves in that one and the second goal he gave up shouldn't have counted. The official was lazy on that one.

[zippyfan34]

BTW: What's up with Scott Caldwell? Doesn't score a goal all year, and in three post season games he has three goals. Definitely not going to complain!

Caldwell was just mad he was the only starter left off the All-MAC first and second teams so he is picking it up a notch.

[GoZips]

BTW: What's up with Scott Caldwell? Doesn't score a goal all year, and in three post season games he has three goals. Definitely not going to complain!

Caldwell was just mad he was the only starter left off the All-MAC first and second teams so he is picking it up a notch.

I like his attitude ... !!!!

[tbozeglav]

Ill agree Meves was to blame for OSU AND for a few other goals this year where he was out of position. He seems to be day dreaming at times.

Anyone notice yesterday twice when he turned the ball over lazily? The one time he just rolled it right to a WVU player in front of our goal, luckily a Zips defender bottled him up and reclaimed possession soon after. The other time he just drop kicked a ball out directly to the sideline, it was ridiculous. Something is up with him.

I will say that the CSU game shouldn't be blamed on Meves, he made a few NICE saves in that one and the second goal he gave up shouldn't have counted. The official was lazy on that one.

Cant account for the first mistake, but when Meves kicked it over to the sideline, it was a duffed kick. His foot happened to hit the ground before hitting the ball and caused him to duff it to the right. I wouldn't pin that one on him as heavily as you may... mistakes like that happen to everyone.

I sometimes think we're being overly critical here. I am certain WVU turned up the offensive pressure, and with our 3-0 lead, the guys got a little lax. A win is a win; doesn't matter if you win by 1 or 5. The guys will be prepared for next Sunday, there's no doubting that.

[mes102]

As we have said all along, Caleb is a class act.

Yeah.....I don't know any other coach in the nation that would buy 500 student tickets out of their own pocket(that's $2500)...oh yeah...and buying 30 boxes of pizza last sunday for the students and this sunday as well.

[Z.I.P.]

As we have said all along, Caleb is a class act.

Yeah.....I don't know any other coach in the nation that would buy 500 student tickets out of their own pocket(that's $2500)...oh yeah...and buying 30 boxes of pizza last sunday for the students and this sunday as well.

We all know CP's a Class Act, but from his perspective, it's a pretty good investment too. I wonder if he'll charter a flight to SoCal for the Rowdies in two weeks, if we make it there.