The University of Akron men’s soccer team tied Xavier 2-2 in a 90-minute exhibition match on a rainy and windy Saturday afternoon at Schrank Field.
Akron out-shot the Musketeers 16-6, controlling the game for the most part. However, a pair of goals by XU’s Will Walker kept the Musketeers alive.
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The University of Akron men’s soccer team tied Xavier 2-2 in a 90-minute exhibition match on a rainy and windy Saturday afternoon at Schrank Field.
Akron out-shot the Musketeers 16-6, controlling the game for the most part. However, a pair of goals by XU’s Will Walker kept the Musketeers alive.
The first goal by Walker came just 1:47 into the match while the second came within one minute left in regulation.
Forward Darren Mattocks scored Akron’s first goal in the 44th minute and midfielder Scott Caldwell scored the Zips’ second goal of the game on a penalty kick in the 48th minute.
The Zips were forced to move to Schrank Field due to the conditions of the playing surface at Cub Cadet Field.
An Akron defensive mistake led to the first goal of the game, when XU’s Matt Walker fed a through ball to Will Walker, who slipped behind Akron’s back four. Walker then fired a shot from 15 yards that banged off the right post and then the left post before going into the net.
We gave up a goal in the first five minutes and we gave up a goal in the last five minutes, said UA’s Associate Head Coach Jared Embick. That is disappointing. We failed to control the game out. That is something this group is still learning and trying to get done.
The Zips’ defense was able to lock down Xavier into the final third for most of the game.
Mattocks almost pulled UA even with his fourth goal of the spring season following a scrum in front of the net, but Caldwell was able to put Akron up 2-1 after Ben Speas was brought down from behind on the right of the penalty box.
We can take away a couple of positive things. We put together some good moments of how we want to play as an Akron team, but in the end, it really wasn’t near good enough. We are trying to learn to put it together for a full 90 minutes, said Embick.
Akron looked for their third goal and almost captured it when midfielder Thomas Schmitt hit the right post with a liner in the 62nd minute. Senior transfer Luke Holmes hit the crossbar in the 85th minute, but came up short.
Xavier goal keeper Justin Marshall finished the day with six saves in 90 minutes, while Akron’s David Meves had one.
UA will finish their spring schedule on Wed., April 27 at Cub Cadet Field when they take on Valparaiso at 7:30 p.m.
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