The University of Akron men’s soccer team will conclude its regular season at 7:30 tonight with a Mid-American Conference match against Hartwick.

The Zips, ranked No. 1 in the country in all five national polls, will attempt to finish the regular season with a perfect record on Senior Night.

I put together a story about the seniors – Ben Zemanski, Stefan Ostergren, C.J. Kaufman and Ivan Sandoval – for Friday’s Akron Beacon Journal sports section. That story, which focuses on Zemanski, can be read in the newspaper or online at ohio.com.

UA is currently 17-0-0 overall and 5-0 in the MAC. The Zips come into this matchup against Hawks (8-2-4, 3-0-2) after defeating Michigan State 2-1 Wednesday night.

In a more intense game than any other this season at Lee Jackson Field, UA coach Caleb Porter shouted instructions and encouragement louder than normal. UA's pep band and Zippy also kept things festive.

Sophomore Teal Bunbury gave the Zips a 1-0 lead with a goal in the 4^th minute of an assist by sophomore Darlington Nagbe.

Spartans senior Tim Granaderos tied the score at 1-1 in the 39^th minute off of an assist by sophomore Rubin Bega. That was the first goal the Zips had allowed at home in seven games this season and the first time an opponent had scored prior to halftime all season.

With the intensity turned up on the field, Porter turned up the volume from the sidelines and his players responded. Zips freshman Ben Speas and Spartans junior Nosa Iyoha got tangled up on the right side of the box and both fell to the grass. A foul was called on Iyoha and Porter called upon Zips junior Blair Gavin to take the penalty kick.

Gavin scored a goal off of the penalty kick in the 75^th minute to break the 1-1 tie and help Zips keep their perfect season going. His shot hit the crossbar and dropped into the right side of the net. He is 4-for-4 on penalty kicks this season.

Quotes from Wednesday night's game:

Caleb Porter

“We knew it was going to be intense and in all honesty it was a game that we needed. We have not faced many opponents that have tested us, especially when we are defending.”

“We haven't been through much adversity and I think you can tell a lot about a championship-level team in the moments of adversity.”

“I thought in the first half after we scored the goal, for whatever reason we went on cruise control. There have been several games this year where that has happened and an opponent hasn't been able to really punish us.”

“[Speas] drew the penalty kick that ended up winning the game. He got tackled in the box … he had the defender on his inside hip and he shielded the ball and the guy just kind of hooked him and tackled him. He made himself big and drew the foul, which was a great play.”

Blair Gavin

“Speas is special because he can get at people and get around people. He got around that guy and that guy had to clip him, that was his last play. The team trusted me to take the PK. My heart sunk a little bit when the ball hit the crossbar, but once it hit that net I was happy.”

“If I hit it well enough, I don't think there is a keeper than can catch up to it.”

Notes from Wednesday night's game:

– UA will host the MAC Tournament and have clinched the top seed in it. UA will play in a semifinal game at 6 p.m. on Nov. 13. The MAC Championship game is set for 4 p.m. on Nov. 15. The NCAA Tournament, which consists of six rounds, runs from Nov. 19-Dec. 13.

– The Zips held an advantage over the Spartans in shots (16-6), shots on goal (8-2) and corner kicks (3-1). Speas had three shots on goal.

– This season, UA has defeated the Big Ten's top two teams (Penn State, Ohio State) and bottom three teams (Michigan State, Michigan and Indiana) for a 5-0 record. The conference's middle two teams (Wisconsin and Northwestern) are not on the Zips regular season schedule. The Zips did beat Wisconsin 2-1 in an exhibition match this season.

– UA has outscored opponents 47-4 this season. The Zips have outscored their five Big Ten foes — Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State — 14-2.

– The Zips student cheering section, the AK-Rowdies, were heard shouting “I believe we're Big Ten champs” following the game.

– Speas starting in place of sophomore Michael Nanchoff, who was held out of the game due to an injury and the flu. Porter expects Nanchoff to be back in the lineup soon.

– Junior Chris Korb, sophomore Kofi Sarkodie and freshmen Zarek Valentin and Chad Barson were the Zips’ starting defenders in front of freshman goalkeeper David Meves. Sophomore defender Matt Dagilis entered the game as a reserve.

– Zemanski, Speas, Gavin and junior Anthony Ampaipitakwong were solid at midfield for UA. Freshmen Yoram Mwila and Scott Caldwell contributed as reserves.

Jody Demling recently reported on www.courier-journal.com that Dakotah Euton has orally committed to play on scholarship for the University of Akron men’s basketball team.

Euton, a 6-foot-8 senior at Scott County High School, picked Akron over Eastern Kentucky University, according to the report by The Courier-Journal that covers news in Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Euton had originally committed to the University of Kentucky nearly two years ago when Billy Gillispie was coach. He changed his mind when Gillispie was fired and John Calipari was hired prior to this season. He is expected to sign with the Zips this coming week and according to reports weighs between 200 and 215 pounds.

“I had pretty much decided, I had it in my mind the last couple of weeks that I wanted to go to Akron,” Euton told Demling. “It felt like the right time, so I went ahead and did it. It just felt right.”

Euton said he felt comfortable with UA coach Keith Dambrot and his coaching staff.

“Both schools had great staffs and fit my style of play,” Euton told Demling. “But I really felt like coach Dambrot was one of those guys – kind of like Gillispie – who plays players for not just talent but also for how hard they play. Players that do the intangibles, people that work hard. I have just always liked coaches like that.”

Euton reportedly also had scholarship offers from Oregon State, Nevada, Wofford, Coastal Carolina, UNC Greensboro, High Point, Murray State, East Tennessee State and Morehead State.

Euton is reportedly a good shooter that make a three-pointer and a mid-range jumper. He also has the ability to pass, defend and drive to the basket and finish at the rim.

He received a two-star ranking by scout.com and rivals.com.

Football

I have anticipated this game for two years. No exaggeration.

The last time the Wagon Wheel game was played in Akron, the teams met at the Rubber Bowl. Ever since then, I have wondered how cool it will be for the teams to meet on the University of Akron's campus at a brand new stadium.

Well, it won't be quite as cool as I originally hoped because of the Zips' 1-7 record. The team does, however, have a chance to keep its rivals out of MAC East contention. And that appears to be the team's mantra this week: Spoil Kent State's hopes for the division title.

Holding their jobs for six years, J.D. Brookhart and Doug Martin are the longest tenured coaches in the MAC. Brookhart's record is slightly better, but the teams have always seemed to peak at different times.

As a Zips fan, I don't think I will ever forget the 2006 matchup. In that year, Akron was the hot-shot favorite to win the MAC and it had just knocked off N.C. State. Kent State dusted them up at Dix Stadium, 37-15.

Now the roles are reversed. Akron is the hapless bunch riding a six-game stink wave. Kent State has as much momentum as the program has seen under Martin. The Flashes sit at 4-1 in the MAC and control their own destiny for a trip to the MAC Championship.

Despite the discrepancy in records and momentum, you will find that these teams are quite similar.

The most obvious similarity is that both teams will rely on a teenage quarterback. Spencer Keith and Patrick Nicely are true freshmen — highly touted — but still learning. This will likely be the first of four duels between them.

Both teams start young running backs — freshman DeVoe Torrence and sophomore Jacquise Terry. Both teams have sturdy defenses that, at times, have been let down by an offense that struggled to carry its weight.

But Kent State has gotten better results. The main difference between Akron's 0-4 MAC record and Kent State's 4-1 record is that the Flashes average about 60 more yards of offense per game. Another huge discrepancy is sacks per game. Kent State leads the MAC with 3.33; Akron is last with 0.75. The leader of Kent's pass rush is lineman Monte Simmons.

News and notes…

Tom Gaffney detailed the backgrounds of both young quarterbacks.

The Zips are between 3.5- and four-point underdogs. The over-under is 43.

Here is what I wrote about the game on July 9, when 82 percent of readers believed Akron would win.

Here are the MAC Roundtable answers for this week.

The Plain Dealer's Elton Alexander added some fun facts, such as that Akron/Kent State is the fifth-closest rivalry in college football.

Prediction…

It's fair to say that Keith is ahead of Nicely at this stage of their development. But with Nicely's poise and strong arm, it feels like he could break out with a 300-yard game at any moment.

Like every Akron-Kent State matchup, though, this one will come down to turnovers. The Zips must limit their fumbling. If they do, I think they will squeak out a narrow win.

Kent State 17, Akron 20

Football

Happy anniversary.

It was one year ago today when Akron last triumphed over a fellow Division I-A team. The Zips beat Toledo 47-30 at the Rubber Bowl on Nov. 5, 2008.

So we have gone an entire year without Akron achieving anything meaningful.

Just like Lloyd Christmas' swap of a dogmobile for a moped, however, Akron has a chance to "totally redeem" itself on Saturday against Kent State. In my opinion, a win over the archrival is worth five over the directional Michigans of the world.

The stakes are not so high for the Zips, whose season has slumped over thanks to a six-game losing streak. For Kent State, though, this game is big. So big, in fact, that coach Doug Martin is downplaying the rivalry aspect, hoping not to divert his team. After three straight conference wins, the Flashes sit in second place in the MAC East, with the ultra-important ability to control their own destiny.

What better anniversary gift could J.D. Brookhart and the Zips present to fans than a soul-crushing upset against the hated rival? None, I say.

A challenge arose for the University of Akron men's soccer team Wednesday night.

The top-ranked Zips were able to respond to Michigan State's challenge and come away with a 2-1 victory at Lee Jackson Field.

Junior Blair Gavin scored a goal off of a penalty kick with 15:24 remaining in the game to break a 1-1 tie and help the Zips keep their perfect season going.

The Zips (17-0-0) are the No. 1 team in the country in all five national polls.

"We knew it was going to be intense and in all honesty it was a game that we needed," UA coach Caleb Porter said. "We have not faced many opponents that have tested us, especially when we are defending.

"We haven't been through much adversity and I think you can tell a lot about a championship-level team in the moments of adversity."

Sophomore Teal Bunbury gave the Zips a 1-0 lead with a goal 3:18 into the first half from about 20-yards away on the right side. Sophomore Darlington Nagbe earned an assist by kicking the ball ahead about 20 yards. Bunbury, who has a team-high 15 goals in 17 games, gathered the pass and kicked the ball over Spartans sophomore goalkeeper Jeremy Clark and into the net.

Michigan State senior Tim Granaderos tied the score at 1-1 with a goal with 6:13 remaining in the first half. Sophomore Rubin Bega got the assist with a crossing pass from the left side of the box. Granaderos secured the pass and kicked the ball into the net from about 8 yards away past Zips freshman goalkeeper David Meves.

That Spartans goal was the first the Zips have allowed at home this season.

"I thought in the first half after we scored the goal, for whatever reason we went on cruise control," Porter said. "There have been several games this year where that has happened and an opponent hasn't been able to really punish us."

The Spartans (10-5-2) thought they had a 2-1 lead with 27:36 left in the game, but junior Jake Fullerton was whistled for offside as he kicked the ball past Meves and into the net.

The penalty kick came after Zips freshman Ben Speas and Spartans junior Nosa Iyoha got tangled up on the right side of the box and both fell to the grass. A foul was called on Iyoha and Gavin followed with a shot that hit the crossbar and dropped into the right side of the net for a goal.

"Speas is special because he can get at people and get around people," said Gavin, who is 4-for-4 on penalty kicks. "He got around that guy and that guy had to clip him, that was his last play. The team trusted me to take the PK. My heart sunk a little bit when the ball hit the crossbar, but once it hit that net I was happy."

The Zips held an advantage in shots (16-6), shots on goal (8-2) and corner kicks (3-1).

Men's basketball

The Plain Dealer's Elton Alexander picked Akron to finish third in the MAC East.

This is the defending MAC Championship team that only lost one player (not a franchise player, either) and brings in the preseason favorite for Freshman of the Year. Yet they'll finish third in the division, according to Alexander, behind Buffalo and Miami.

Miscellaneous

I took first place in my election for Stow City Council At-Large last night.

I appreciate everyone's well-wishes and support. It was a hectic four months, and I'm very excited to simplifying my life by watching Akron beat Kent State on Saturday.

Football

Here are my responses to this week's MAC Blogger Roundtable…

1. Now that we have reached November, what do you really think of this no-Saturday stuff? Is it a necessary evil, an unnecessary evil, or a non-issue? Do you think that the difficulty for home fans outweighs the long-term benefit of being on ESPN?

Because you must balance the fans' interest and the conference's desire for exposure, I think they should only play mid-week when there is a promise to be on ESPN or ESPN2. Being on ESPNU doesn't do it for me. It diminishes the quality of MAC football to say we're willing to play Tuesday morning during breakfast so a handful of football fanatics get to watch live football in an unusual timeslot.

2. As we hit the home stretch, who are your early leaders for MAC Offensive and Defensive players of the year? Coach of the Year?

For offense, you're looking at a three-way race. It depends on 1) if you're willing to vote for a freshman (Temple running back Bernard Pierce leads the league in rushing by almost 40 yards) and 2) whether you can pick between either of Bowling Green's studs: receiver Freddie Barnes or quarterback Tyler Sheehan. I'll go with Barnes. On defense, I could narrow the list to five, but not much further. As for coaches, I'm a big Al Golden fan.

3. Bernard Pierce is making a huge impact as a freshmen at Temple. What freshmen are making an impact or showing promise at your program?

Brian Wagner is a reason to watch Akron play football. Maybe the only reason. The linebacker is second in the MAC in tackles, eighth in fumbles forced, third in fumbles recovered, ninth in interceptions, and he has scored a touchdown. You're looking at a Freshman All-American. J.D. Brookhart knew he had a special player when he nominated Wagner for Preseason All-MAC before Wagner played a single snap.

4. Think back on your time as a fan…..what is the single most exciting or thrilling moment you recall witnessing for your team…..I'm thinking in person, but certainly not a requirement.

This is easy. I was in the front row in Detroit at Ford Field on Dec. 1, 2005. Luke Getsy found Domenik Hixon on a deep post route with under a minute to play. The touchdown gave the Zips their first MAC Championship. We were going absolutely berserk, hugging complete strangers. That was a great time to be a Zips football fan. That's the point when I decided I would never sit in the press box during a football game if I can help it. You can't enjoy a moment like that without high-fives, clapping, shouting, chest-bumping, etc.

5. Rank 'em if you got 'em.

1) CMU
2) Temple
3) NIU
4) Kent State
5) BG
6) WMU
7) Toledo
8 ) Ohio
9) Buffalo
10) Miami
11) Akron
12) Ball State
13) EMU

Men's basketball

The Zips will begin the season ranked eighth in the Mid-Major Top 25. Akron is ahead of some traditional mid-major powerhouses, such as Davidson, St. Mary's, VCU and George Mason. The team sits behind Butler, Creighton and Gonzaga, among others.

Miscellaneous

My election for Stow City Council At-Large is tomorrow. If you're a Stow resident, make sure you get out to vote. Here is my Web site, in case you're interested.

Football

The banged-up Zips fell again today, getting plowed by the strong rushing attack of Northern Illinois.

Despite a final score of 27-10, Akron held a 10-6 lead heading to the fourth quarter. Northern Illinois packed the scoreboard with 21 points from there.

NIU outgained Akron in rushing yards 275 to 31 in a game where DeVoe Torrence did not play and Akron stripped the redshirt off Broderick Alexander.

The play of the game for Akron was when Alex Allen took a handoff and threw a pass to Andre Jones for an 80-yard touchdown. Hasan Hazime also blocked NIU's first field goal attempt of the game.

Mostly, the game was what I expected, except for the play of Patrick Nicely, who only completed 11-of-27 passes for 124 yards. Without a running game, though, it's hard to do much of anything through the air.

Akron will next embark on "Mission: Salvage the Season." Kent State visits InfoCision Stadium on Saturday for a 3:30 kickoff. If the Zips lose this rivalry game, 2009 will be a failure of Biblical proportions.

Football

I was in DeKalb, Ill., the last time Akron traveled there to face the Huskies.

Garrett Wolfe trampled all over Charlie Frye's Zips for a 49-19 beatdown. The following year, Akron paid the Huskies back ten-fold with a last-second Luke Getsy-to-Domenik Hixon miracle Hail Mary for the MAC Championship.

The Huskies have been longing for a MAC crown since. Akron, meanwhile, went from Cinderella to cellar-dwellers.

As I said in an interview with NPR this week, Akron has a horrible record, but I would never count the team out from week to week. With a youthful, hungry core, the Zips are still a dangerous team.

Just not consistently dangerous. NIU isn't particularly consistent, either. But Jerry Kill's team has been better on its worst day this season than Akron on its best.

NIU wins its games in the trenches. It has averaged about 80 yards more per game in rushing yards than its opponents. Me'co Brown and Chad Spann have comprised a two-man run attack that is certainly the MAC's strongest. Both average 5.3 yards per carry. The run defense, meanwhile, held Miami to a negative 13 rush yards last week.

The other side of the coin is that the Huskies' pass offense and pass defense are among the MAC's least productive. Starter Chandler Harnish is questionable for Saturday's noon kickoff with a knee injury. The other option is an athletic sophomore DeMarcus Grady. The pass defense, meanwhile, gave up 348 passing yards to Miami last week.

News and notes…

Akron is a 12-point underdog. The over-under is 42. (The line for the 2005 MAC Championship, by the way, was NIU minus 14.)

Here is Tom Gaffney's preview for the ABJ.

Here is another good game breakdown from the Aurora Beacon-News.

Kill told the college newspaper at NIU that his team will have to throw more than 10 times to beat Akron. Grady only made 10 pass attempts last week against Miami.

Here is what I wrote about the game on July 3, when 68 percent of readers said Akron would win.

Dashan Miller was this week's MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week for his 191 yards worth of kickoff return against Syracuse.

Prediction

If Miami can throw for 348 yards, then so can Patrick Nicely. This could be his welcome-to-the-spotlight party. To me, this game comes down to whether Akron can keep up the scoring through the air. A mistake-free game from Nicely will put the Zips in position to win.

Akron 21, Northern Illinois 24

Sophomore forward Teal Bunbury scored two goals and sophomore forward Darlington Nagbe added one goal to lead the host University of Akron men's soccer team to a 3-0 win Wednesday night over Penn State at Lee Jackson Field before a crowd of 1,563.

The Zips, the No. 1 team in the country in all five national polls, improved to 16-0-0. The Nittany Lions dropped to 9-5-2.

Bunbury's two goals give him a team-high 14 this season.

The Zips took a 1-0 lead 4:25 into the first half after Bunbury right-footed the ball into the net from 12 yards away. UA sophomore defender Kofi Sarkodie recorded the assist on the goal.

Bunbury extended the Zips’ lead to 2-0 with a goal from 30 yards away 23:34 into the first half. Junior midfielder Anthony Ampaipitakwong received the assist on the goal after a throw in.

Zips sophomore forward Darlington Nagbe scored the final goal into the game from eight yards away 61:13 into the game from eight yards away.

Nagbe's goal came after a scramble in which several players got a touch on the ball in front of the goal. Zips senior midfielder Ben Zemanski got the assist.

The Zips held an advantage in shots (16-11) and corner kicks (8-4). Each team had five shots on goal.

UA shut out its 13th opponent of the season. Freshman goalkeeper David Meves earned his 11th shutout and had a collegiate career-high five saves.

Sarkodie, junior Chris Korb and freshmen Zarek Valentin and Chad Barson were the Zips' starting defenders.

Junior Blair Gavin and sophomore Michael Nanchoff were solid at midfield for UA. Freshman forward Yoram Mwila and freshman midfielder Ben Speas contributed as reserves.

– Postgame Quotes:

UA coach Caleb Porter

On Teal Bunbury: “He is an absolute handful. Physically, he is strong and he is fast. He is becoming a very lethal finisher … The nice thing about Teal is he is very aggressive. He wants to score goals and he is looking to get shots off. That is what a good striker does. They know that is their job.”

On David Meves: “David Meves was tremendous. He was up for the challenge, and that is what a good goalkeeper needs to do.”

Zips sophomore forward Teal Bunbury:

“It would be nice to get a hat trick. But as long as I can contribute to the team and we're winning, that is great. As long as we're winning, I am happy.”

“I thought we did well as a team. It's not a one-man show, obviously. I thought we did well defensively. That is a big part of our game.”

Postgame Notes: 

- UA has outscored opponents 45-3 this season and has a 4-0 record against Big Ten opponents. The Zips have outscored their four Big Ten foes — Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State — 12-1.

- The Zips have not trailed at halftime in 52 consecutive games.

- UA has not allowed a goal in the first half in 28 games in a row.

- Porter has been the Zips coach since 2006. Under his guidance, UA has a 61-11-7 overall record. The Zips are 42-0-0 when leading at halftime under Porter.

- The Zips' next game is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Lee Jackson Field against Michigan State.