RedHawks Advance to MAC Semifinals with 2-0 Win over Akron

Pace records third straight shutout to break Miami’s single-season record

AKRON, Ohio – A pair of second-half goals pushed the sixth-seeded Miami University women’s soccer team into the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament with a 2-0 defeat of third-seeded Akron in the quarterfinals Sunday afternoon at Lee Jackson Field. The win sends the RedHawks (11-7-1) to the MAC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2006 where they will face the No. 2 seed Eastern Michigan Eagles on Friday.

The victory avenged Miami’s 1-0 loss to the Zips (9-7-2) earlier this season and improved the RedHawks’ all-time MAC Tournament mark to 14-5-1, including 7-3 in the quarterfinals. Sunday’s match was the first-ever meeting between Miami and Akron in the MAC Tournament and gave the ’Hawks their first MAC Tournament win since a 2-1 defeat of Ball State in the 2006 quarterfinals, even though Miami has played in each of the last six conference championships.

Despite the RedHawks dominating the first frame with a 7-3 shot advantage and a 6-1 corner kicks edge, the game went into halftime knotted at zero. Miami wasted little time jumping on top in the second stanza however, as junior Sara Lund (Malmo, Sweden) rocketed a shot past Akron keeper Jeny Wolbert for a 1-0 lead just 43 seconds in the period. It was Lund’s team-leading seventh goal of the campaign.

“The first half we played some of the best soccer I’ve seen us play all year. We came out very strong. We were all over them by halftime and were very unlucky not to get a goal,” head coach Bobby Kramig said. “Virtually on the first play (of the second half) we kicked off and went down and scored. Kersta Carlson played a great ball on a throw-in to Sara’s feet and she had a beautiful first touch. She took the ball and shot a bullet right by the goalkeeper. It was very well-played goal.”

The Zips looked to answer a few minutes later with a pair of shots, but both sailed high. The RedHawks then kept the pressure on over the next 10 minutes, earning three corners while senior Jodi Zwingelberg (Elgin, Ill.) fired three shots but none found the back of the net. In the 73rd minute, senior Stephanie Laser (Hinsdale, Ill.) added a security goal for Miami, heading home a free kick from senior Allison Berkey (Hopkinton, Mass.), who garnered the assist, to make it 2-0.

The RedHawks’ defense held strong the remainder of the match, not allowing Akron to get a single shot off over the final 35 minutes of the contest. Senior keeper Krista Pace (Toronto, Ont.) recorded her third consecutive shutout with a pair of saves, giving her eight on the season, which breaks Miami’s single-season shutouts mark of seven set in 2001 by Katie Karlander.

For the match, Miami outshot the Zips, 14-6 (7-3 in each half), while holding a 9-5 edge in corner kicks. Zwingelberg led the ’Hawks with four shots while Lund and Laser each fired three with all three of Lund’s landing on target. Wolbert finished with four saves in net for Akron.

“We’re certainly playing good soccer at the moment and producing good results. I think we’ve got a lot of confidence and we feel real good about the things we’re doing out on the field,” Kramig said. “We’re looking forward to playing Eastern Michigan. They’re a fine team and we had a great game the first time around and I’m sure this one will be equally as competitive.”

The RedHawks now ride their second three-game winning streak of the season (winning the games by a combined 12-0) into the MAC Tournament semifinals, which will be played at top-seeded Central Michigan. Miami’s semifinal match with Eastern Michigan on Friday, Nov. 6 will be the teams’ second meeting this year, as the Red & White beat EMU, 1-0, in Ypsilanti on Oct. 9. Game time for Friday’s semifinal is set for 2 p.m. ET. Should Miami advance, it would face either fifth-seeded Toledo or No. 1 seed and host CMU in the championship match Sunday, Nov. 8.