Akron, OH – The Akron Summit Assault beat the Cincinnati Kings 2-0 on a steamy evening. While both teams struggled in the final third, Akron was able to score twice straddling either side of half time.

This wasn’t the prettiest soccer, but several players had moments that were interesting to watch.

To prevent millions of emails, phone calls and questions on the street, as a public service, the name Summit Assault is a reference that the surrounding area is a bit higher than further away. I guess that I buy that reasoning – but with the shirts having mountain peaks in white and black – it seems a stretch. Honestly, I thought that the black and white mountain peaks were abstract Holstein cow designs.

Since, Cincinnati is known as the queen city, why is the name Cincinnati Kings and not Cincinnati Queens? Would the players feel less manly? I wonder if the borough of Queens has this same emasculating attitude. Cincinnati used to be known as Porkopolis, because of their slaughterhouses in the 1800’s. I suggest that Cincinnati Porkers would be a better name and sufficiently macho!

Starting Line-ups:

Akron Summit Assault: 4-1-2-2-1. The midfielders tuck in providing a triangle for the defensive midfielder and connecting with the wide midfielders and forward.
F: Ryan Minick
Wide M: Vaughn Spurrier, Ashton Campbell
M: Aodhan Quinn, Michael O’Neill
DM: Michael Balogun
D: Mike Matlock, Matt Dagilis, Ryan Johnstone, Rhys Cannella
GK: Brad Stuver

Cincinnati Kings 4-4-1-1. Amorphic formation.
F: Branden Stelmak
W/D F: Andre Sharp
M: Brent Hobson, Chris Elliott, Jonathan Williams, Ben Thomas
D: Matthew McKain, Jamie Dollar, Kemar Jackson, Darius Khan
GK: Joe Barnard

Akron Summit Assault Observations:

In the first half, Akron struggled because they were too static off the ball. They’d occupy a space patiently standing there waiting for the ball. Once, they started playing more dynamically, better opportunities occurred.

The first goal was scored by Ryan Minnick (Hiram D3) in the 40th minute. The play began with Ashton Campbell (Tiffin D2) dribbling the ball around the corner and down the end-line until pressured. Campbell crossed the ball to Minnick tapping it in from 4 yards. Part of the Kings central defense problem was that center back Kemar Jackson was involved in chasing down an attacker on the near sideline and wasn’t able to get back centrally in time.

In the 55th minute, Michael O’Neill (Tiffin D2) blazed down the middle like Moses opening the Kings “red sea defense”. He blasted a 25 yard shot into the middle of the goal. O’Neill struck the ball cleanly and he got all of it. Cincinnati goalkeeper Joey Barnard needed to get behind the ball and get a piece of it, though, the defense was worse for not stepping up to stop the ball.

Michael Balogun (Akron(m)) and Aodhan Quinn (Bradley(m) transfer to Akron(m), this year – not yet announced, but the worst kept secret of college soccer) already work well with each other. Both are accurate passers, though Balogun may be stronger on the ball while Quinn may have a higher soccer IQ. Quinn was not as sharp on his touch as I saw him last year. In the 34th minute, Quinn slipped a sweet pass to the overlapping Mike Matlock (Massachusetts(m)).

The wide midfielders – some may call them forwards, because of their inferior defense – Ashton Campbell and Vaughn Spurrier (Temple(m)) are both speedy but lack shooting acumen. Campbell squandered numerous break-away chances in the second half. In the 49th minute, Spurrier sliced a pass through the Kings defense to Campbell that he scooted around the goalkeeper, but his off-balanced shot went wide of the open goal. Campbell had another breakaway in the 51st minute, but his shot was wide again. In the 70th minute, a Kemar Johnson mistake at the Cincinnati midfield allowed Campbell to have another 1v1 try, but the goalkeeper, Joey Barnard (Cincinnati(m)) was finally forced to make a save. In the 78th minute, a beautiful pass from Christian Dominguez to an open Campbell was wasted with a shot over the cross-bar.

Campbell lacks strength on the ball. Spurrier wants the referee to bail him out on his errors, too. For example, in the 17th minute, he made a poor throw-in and baselessly complained about the other team.

In an odd series in the 64th minute, Spurrier dribbled but was stopped by Darius Khan, but Spurrier regained possession. With Dylan Lax (Indiana(m)) coming back to support the defense, Khan stepped right into Lax’s path and Khan had his head handed to him by Lax. Spurrier skipped away but his shot was right at the goalkeeper – too easy.

Michael O’Neill’s play is focused on hustle throughout the midfield. He’s an adequate passer and had that fantastic shot for the insurance goal.

I was very impressed with Brad Stuver (Cleveland State(m)) against Wisconsin-Green Bay last year. So, I was looking forward to another chance to watch him play. His hands are fine, but his foot skills are lacking. He had two adventures trying to clear the ball in the 38th minute – the first was a clunker, the second was a weak chip.

Matt Dagilis (Akron(m)) is a competent center back. He works hard but he doesn’t have professional athleticism or skill. If he’s paired with an athletic center back at Akron, they should be ok.

Center back partner Ryan Johnstone (Tiffin D2) is much better on the ball than Dagilis. With attackers surrounding him, he calmly controlled the ball and distributed it accurately.

I preferred substitute Ben Truax (Walsh NAIA) who came on in the 66th minute for starter Ryan Minick (Hiram D3) even though the latter scored the first goal. Truax seemed more naturally moving through the attacking third. In the 87th minute, Truax hit a shot that got past the goalkeeper but was cleared off the line by Brodie Steigerwald (Massachusetts(m)).

Cincinnati Kings Observations:

Cincinnati was dominating in the first 10 minutes, but disappeared for much of the game after that time.

Branden Stelmak (Cincinnati(m)) is very muscular – he could be playing the other football. He lacks work rate, so he’s more likely to be a door man than a foot patrol police officer

Joey Barnard (Cincinnati(m)) isn’t a very good goalkeeper. If the ball is kicked directly at him, he’ll probably catch it, but his judgment on when to come out and his 1v1 coverage is abysmal. In the 45th minute, he almost gifted Akron a goal, because he was slow off his line.

I like the way that Brent Hobson (Friends NAIA) plays. He plays solid defense and sprays the ball down the line for overlaps or centrally for deep crosses.

Even though Kemar Jackson made a technical mistake at midfield that led to a good opportunity for the opposition, he’s a good player. He is a lean player who aggressively defends with good feet. Jackson reminds me of a young Cory Gibbs (when Gibbs was at Brown not the broken down old Cory Gibbs with the Fire).

Jamie Dollar (Ashland D2) is a physical monster; big, wide, and hulking. He has limited soccer skills.

Lax doesn’t judge the projection of balls in the air well.

Andre Sharpe (Cincinnati(m)) is the spark plug for the Kings, but he isn’t nearly good as Balogun nor does he have the same level of support. In the 69th minute, Sharpe hit a blistering free kick that Stuver was able to parry away. In the 50th minute, Sharpe held the ball before laying it off for Stelmak who kicked it right to Stuver.