AKRON, Ohio – In front of a Lee Jackson Field record-setting crowd of 4,744, the #1 University of Akron Zips produced their highest goal output of the season, dominating the #2 Tulsa Golden Hurricane 4-0 Friday night. The Golden Hurricane are the third top-five team to be downed by the Zips this year.

 

The Zips also recorded their 11th straight clean sheet, tying the record for most consecutive shutouts in college soccer history. UA will have a chance to break the record, also held by Furman and Virginia, on Wednesday at Ohio State. UA is the only team in the nation that has yet to concede a score this season.

 

UA’s three Hermann Trophy candidates, Darlington Nagbe, Anthony Ampaipitakwong, and Kofi Sarkodie, contributed points as UA stretched its unbeaten home streak to 29 matches (28-0-1).

 

The Zips jumped out to an early lead taking advantage of a Tulsa turnover 30 yards out from the golden hurricane net in the ninth minute.. Ampaipitakwong intercepted a pass and moved the ball to Nagbe. Nagbe moved the ball over to Sarkodie who was in space down the right side. Sarkodie moved to his left a laced a shot from 22 yards out that took a deflection of a Tulsa defender and off the fingertips of keeper Ray Clark. It was Sarkodie’s second marker of the season.

 

Another turnover forced by the Zips led to the second UA goal just a few minutes later. A Michael Nanchoff tackle outside the left edge of the TU penalty area forced the turnover. Nanchoff’s ensuing cross was headed towards goal by Nagbe and deflected out for a UA corner. Nanchoff’s service on the restart was knocked down by Nagbe into the path of a charging Perry Kitchen who slammed the sitter into the back of the net for his third goal of the season. The goal came at the 13th minute.

 

Ampaipitakwong delivered a splendid corner to set up the third Zip tally, finding a soaring Darren Mattocks six yards out at the back post, who tucked a header under the crossbar in the 50th minute to net his third goal of the season.

 

Mattocks was not settling for one score and nearly found the back of the net again in the 58th minute but his shot from 20 yards out ripped off the crossbar. Nanchoff and Ampaipitakwong worked together in the midfield to spring Mattocks for the chance.

 

Ampaipitakwong was rewarded for all of his hard work in the midfield in the 70th minute, when he collected a Nagbe shot that had clanged off the crossbar and calmly deposited his second goal of the season.

 

The Zips (6-0-0) outshot the Tulsa 20-8 in the match, with most of the Golden Hurricane (6-1-0) attempts coming from distance and not troubling UA keeper David Meves. Meves made one save on the night.

 

UA will take to the road, and attempt to break the record for most consecutive shutouts, on Wednesday, traveling to Ohio State for a 7 p.m. kick off.

 

Game Notes: Freshman Darren Mattoks fired a game-high seven shots in the match, nearly netting his second goal of the game several times … Akron struck the post three times in the match.