Elite 8 - Zips host Saint Louis

[Zips1991]

Match is scheduled for Saturday at 1 pm. 

[TennZip]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/2025/12/01/akron-zips-soccer-will-play-saint-louis-next-in-ncaa-tournament/87548451007/?tbref=hp

[Zip_ME87]

I hope that Zips Men's Soccer alumni players as well as the coaches instill in our players to not take SLU for granted even though the first meeting was a lopsided 3-0 result. SLU is doing as needed to survive and advance on the road. Danger! Beware!

[Zip_ME87]

 

[TennZip]

late night drama seems likely???   Did the writer not notice that the game will start at 1 pm?

 

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/article/?categoryId=0&articleId=55436&articleTitle=mens-ncaa-tournament-elite-eight-preview

 

 

No. 4 Akron  (13-4-3) vs. No. 5 Saint Louis  (12-2-8) - Saturday, December 6th, 1 PM Eastern

Akron may be at home against a Saint Louis squad they beat 3-0 in the regular season, but the Zips remain wary. The Billikens, after all, are the toughest out in the country, surviving overtime, upsetting Indiana, and most recently advancing on penalties in the Sweet Sixteen. With 18 of their 22 games decided by a goal or less, another late-night drama seems likely.

[csims0917]

2 hours ago, TennZip said:

late night drama seems likely???   Did the writer not notice that the game will start at 1 pm?

 

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/article/?categoryId=0&articleId=55436&articleTitle=mens-ncaa-tournament-elite-eight-preview

 

 

No. 4 Akron  (13-4-3) vs. No. 5 Saint Louis  (12-2-8) - Saturday, December 6th, 1 PM Eastern

Akron may be at home against a Saint Louis squad they beat 3-0 in the regular season, but the Zips remain wary. The Billikens, after all, are the toughest out in the country, surviving overtime, upsetting Indiana, and most recently advancing on penalties in the Sweet Sixteen. With 18 of their 22 games decided by a goal or less, another late-night drama seems likely.

It does get dark pretty early this time a year! Lol

[fknbuflobo]

1 hour ago, csims0917 said:

It does get dark pretty early this time a year! Lol

Yeah.  During December, it gets dark early afternoon… in Alaska.

[ZippyRulz]

My guess is the lights will be on.

 

[UAZipster0305]

8 hours ago, TennZip said:

late night drama seems likely???   Did the writer not notice that the game will start at 1 pm?

 

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/article/?categoryId=0&articleId=55436&articleTitle=mens-ncaa-tournament-elite-eight-preview

 

 

No. 4 Akron  (13-4-3) vs. No. 5 Saint Louis  (12-2-8) - Saturday, December 6th, 1 PM Eastern

Akron may be at home against a Saint Louis squad they beat 3-0 in the regular season, but the Zips remain wary. The Billikens, after all, are the toughest out in the country, surviving overtime, upsetting Indiana, and most recently advancing on penalties in the Sweet Sixteen. With 18 of their 22 games decided by a goal or less, another late-night drama seems likely.

Or maybe the Billikens' luck has run out, and they don't have their mojo against the Zips (again)?!

[csims0917]

The rowdies have a booth at the basketball game trying to promote the soccer game Saturday. Should be doing this all year!

[TennZip]

 

[TennZip]

On 12/1/2025 at 12:52 PM, Zip_ME87 said:

I hope that Zips Men's Soccer alumni players as well as the coaches instill in our players to not take SLU for granted even though the first meeting was a lopsided 3-0 result. SLU is doing as needed to survive and advance on the road. Danger! Beware!

Excellent observations....

 

A few random observations....

 

The first game was on September 23.  That means that Saturday's game...will be almost 2.5 months since the first game.

As Zips fans, we have seen great improvement from Thomas O' Rourke and Matthew Paiva during the season.  I am sure that St. Louisd has also had many players improve during the season.

 

Since that first game, St. Louis has not lost a single game.   Since the first game, the Zips have a record of 7-2-2.  The Billikens have a record of 8-0-5.

 

St. Louis has only lost 2 games all year...A regular season game at Indiana and the game at Akron.  As we all know, St. Louis avenged their regular season loss to IU with a huge round of 32 road win at IU.

 

as @Zip_ME87 pointed out, SLU is finding ways to not lose.  They have not lost in their last 13 games.  Against IU in the NCAA round of 32, St. Louis was dominated on the statistical front but they found a way to win.   In the tournament game against St. Louis, IU led 16-3 in shots, 3-1 in shots on goal and 8-0 in corner kicks.  St. Louis did not have a single corner kick and they were outshot by more than 5 to 1.   Yet, St. Louis found a way to win.

 

Again, that first game(St. Louis at Akron) was a lifetime ago....2.5 months.

 

How did the Zips and Billikens do against teams in the NCAA tounament?  St. Louis has 4-2-2 record against teams that made the tournament.

1-0 win over eventual 5 seed SMU.   1-0 win over Seton Hall.    1-0 regular season loss to eventual 6 seed Indiana.   0-0 tie against eventual 8 seed Portland.  Portland is still alive in the tournament.   3-0 loss at Akron.  2-1 tournament win over Kentucky  (Kentucky was regular season Sun Belt champ (league includes Marshall and West Virginia) ; 1-0 win over 6 seed  Indiana.   2-2 PK win over 11 seed Bryant (#6 in final RPI).   In that PK win, the St. Louis players were absolutely clutch.  4 spectacular, professional penalty kicks.

 

the zips were 4-4-3 against tournament teams.  0-0 tie with WVA ; 4-0 win over W. Michigan ; 1-0 loss at Vermont ; 3-1 home loss to U Conn ; 3-0 win over St. L ; 2-1 home loss to St. John's ; 0-0 tie at Cornell ; 1-1 tie against Seton Hall. 2-1 neutral field loss to UConn; 1-0 win over Notre Dame ; 2-0 win over the Dukies.

 

The Zips were brutally efficient in the first St. Louis game.   The zips had 4 shots on goal and scored 3 goals (75% conversion rate).  The zips have scored 31 goals and they have had 97 shots on goal.  (closer to a 32% conversion rate).

 

Another observation about the first St. Louis game.   The Zips earned 147 corner kicks during the year (about 6.7 per game).  In the game against St. Louis, the Zips had 1 corner kick.   That was the season low for the Zips.

During the season, teams committed 212 fouls against the zips (about 9.6 per game). St. Louis only committed 6 fouls against the Zips.  Again, that was a season low for a zip opponent.  

Based on the first game, the Zips are not going to get many dead ball/free kick opportunities.

 

The weather on Saturday is going to be much different than the September 23 game.  The September 23 game had a very experienced referee (Chico Grajeda).  Who knows...whehter Saturday's referee will be as solid as Chico Grajeda.

 

    Saturday is going to be a battle.  The Zips should be favored due to being at home and the fact that they are in good form.   However, I do not expect an easy 3-0 win.  The Zips need to come out ready.......and win this game in Regulation.  I am sure that Indiana was very, very confident against St. Louis since they had won during the regular season.     The Zips are hungry and they can beat the Billikens two times this year....but it is going to be a knock down battle.  Go, ZIPS !!!

 

https://gozips.com/sports/mens-soccer/stats/2025/saint-louis/boxscore/10933

[Zips1991]

2 hours ago, TennZip said:

Excellent observations....

 

A few random observations....

 

The first game was on September 23.  That means that Saturday's game...will be almost 2.5 months since the first game.

As Zips fans, we have seen great improvement from Thomas O' Rourke and Matthew Paiva during the season.  I am sure that St. Louisd has also had many players improve during the season.

 

Since that first game, St. Louis has not lost a single game.   Since the first game, the Zips have a record of 7-2-2.  The Billikens have a record of 8-0-5.

 

St. Louis has only lost 2 games all year...A regular season game at Indiana and the game at Akron.  As we all know, St. Louis avenged their regular season loss to IU with a huge round of 32 road win at IU.

 

as @Zip_ME87 pointed out, SLU is finding ways to not lose.  They have not lost in their last 13 games.  Against IU in the NCAA round of 32, St. Louis was dominated on the statistical front but they found a way to win.   In the tournament game against St. Louis, IU led 16-3 in shots, 3-1 in shots on goal and 8-0 in corner kicks.  St. Louis did not have a single corner kick and they were outshot by more than 5 to 1.   Yet, St. Louis found a way to win.

 

Again, that first game(St. Louis at Akron) was a lifetime ago....2.5 months.

 

How did the Zips and Billikens do against teams in the NCAA tounament?  St. Louis has 4-2-2 record against teams that made the tournament.

1-0 win over eventual 5 seed SMU.   1-0 win over Seton Hall.    1-0 regular season loss to eventual 6 seed Indiana.   0-0 tie against eventual 8 seed Portland.  Portland is still alive in the tournament.   3-0 loss at Akron.  2-1 tournament win over Kentucky  (Kentucky was regular season Sun Belt champ (league includes Marshall and West Virginia) ; 1-0 win over 6 seed  Indiana.   2-2 PK win over 11 seed Bryant (#6 in final RPI).   In that PK win, the St. Louis players were absolutely clutch.  4 spectacular, professional penalty kicks.

 

the zips were 4-4-3 against tournament teams.  0-0 tie with WVA ; 4-0 win over W. Michigan ; 1-0 loss at Vermont ; 3-1 home loss to U Conn ; 3-0 win over St. L ; 2-1 home loss to St. John's ; 0-0 tie at Cornell ; 1-1 tie against Seton Hall. 2-1 neutral field loss to UConn; 1-0 win over Notre Dame ; 2-0 win over the Dukies.

 

The Zips were brutally efficient in the first St. Louis game.   The zips had 4 shots on goal and scored 3 goals (75% conversion rate).  The zips have scored 31 goals and they have had 97 shots on goal.  (closer to a 32% conversion rate).

 

Another observation about the first St. Louis game.   The Zips earned 147 corner kicks during the year (about 6.7 per game).  In the game against St. Louis, the Zips had 1 corner kick.   That was the season low for the Zips.

During the season, teams committed 212 fouls against the zips (about 9.6 per game). St. Louis only committed 6 fouls against the Zips.  Again, that was a season low for a zip opponent.  

Based on the first game, the Zips are not going to get many dead ball/free kick opportunities.

 

The weather on Saturday is going to be much different than the September 23 game.  The September 23 game had a very experienced referee (Chico Grajeda).  Who knows...whehter Saturday's referee will be as solid as Chico Grajeda.

 

    Saturday is going to be a battle.  The Zips should be favored due to being at home and the fact that they are in good form.   However, I do not expect an easy 3-0 win.  The Zips need to come out ready.......and win this game in Regulation.  I am sure that Indiana was very, very confident against St. Louis since they had won during the regular season.     The Zips are hungry and they can beat the Billikens two times this year....but it is going to be a knock down battle.  Go, ZIPS !!!

 

https://gozips.com/sports/mens-soccer/stats/2025/saint-louis/boxscore/10933

Also, important to note is that for the September 23 match, Saint Louis was on the 2nd game of a road trip during which they played at Duquesne a few days before so they had been on the road for several days leading up to the match.

[WeRise225]

Tons of tickets left currently!

[fknbuflobo]

Anyone thinking Zips’ victory will come easily on Saturday is very foolish.  
Long-time Zips faithful have been to this stage of the tournament many times.

These contests are frequently decided in either OT or PKs.

Remember vs. California in 2010?

Remember vs. Creighton in 2012?

Remember vs. Creighton in 2015?

Defeating a quality tournament opponent requires squad cohesion, maximum effort, and near flawless execution.  

And a little luck also helps.

[Let'sGoZips94]

23 minutes ago, fknbuflobo said:

Anyone thinking Zips’ victory will come easily on Saturday is very foolish.  
Long-time Zips faithful have been to this stage of the tournament many times.

These contests are frequently decided in either OT or PKs.

Remember vs. California in 2010?

Remember vs. Creighton in 2012?

Remember vs. Creighton in 2015?

Defeating a quality tournament opponent requires squad cohesion, maximum effort, and near flawless execution.  

And a little luck also helps.

 

2nd coldest Zips sporting event I've ever been to, right behind the 2005 Snow Bowl Wagon Wheel game. Such a fun win, though.

 

Beat Saint Louis - Go Zips!

[Zips1991]

3 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

2nd coldest Zips sporting event I've ever been to, right behind the 2005 Snow Bowl Wagon Wheel game. Such a fun win, though.

 

Beat Saint Louis - Go Zips!

Still something me and my friend talk about. We were students at the time and sitting in the GA seats behind the hill. As the match went to PKs, we realized that we were sitting right behind the family of the Cal goalkeeper.

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 minute ago, Zips1991 said:

Still something me and my friend talk about. We were students at the time and sitting in the GA seats behind the hill. As the match went to PKs, we realized that we were sitting right behind the family of the Cal goalkeeper.

 

I'm sure they heard things said by the Rowdies about their son that still haunt them today lol. That was around the time when the Rowdies were still doing Facebook deep dives and NSFW goalie introductions. 

[WeRise225]

6 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

I'm sure they heard things said by the Rowdies about their son that still haunt them today lol. That was around the time when the Rowdies were still doing Facebook deep dives and NSFW goalie introductions. 

Pretty sad how far the rowdies have fallen off, used to be a ruthless environment, even the first few years out of covid. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

7 minutes ago, WeRise225 said:

Pretty sad how far the rowdies have fallen off, used to be a ruthless environment, even the first few years out of covid. 

 

Big time, which is a little surprising considering a few of the OGs are still involved with the University.