AKRON, Ohio -- Three second half goals helped 10th-ranked Akron downed the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team, 4-0, on Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field. NIU sophomore goalkeeper
Konrad Dziedzic (Schiller Park, Ill./East Leyden) made six saves in the contest for the Huskies.
Akron went on the attack right from the kickoff at the Zips forced Dziedzic into three saves within the first 15 minutes of the contest.
The Zips got the breakthrough in the 19th minute as Sam Gainford opened the scoring. Gainford was on the edge of the box on the right side and cut in toward goal, firing a shot toward the back post that hit the underside of the crossbar and over the line to give the Zips a 1-0 lead.
Dziedzic made three more saves in the opening 45 minute as the Zips continued to hold the majority of the possession but could not add on to their 19th minute Gainford goal.
Three minutes into the second half, NIU created an excellent chance to even the contest as sophomore
Christian Molina (Katy, Texas/Mayde Creek) played a ball through a dummy and into the path of junior
Max Voss (Herten, Germany/Staedtisches Gymnasium Herten) near the top of the box, but Voss fired a shot harmlessly high.
Akron doubled its advantage in the 61st minute. Joao Moutinho sent in a cross from the left side that was flicked on by David Egbo to Stuart Holthusen whose header beat Dziedzic to give the Zips a 2-0 lead.
The Zips added a third goal in the 66th minute as Holthusen found the net for the second time. Niko De Vera and Morgan Hackworth set-up Hothusen who volleyed a shot past a diving Dziedzic for his second goal in five minutes.
In the final minute of the contest, Akron added another goal as Reggie Laryea collected the ball from Ezana Kahsay with space near the top of the box and Laryea picked out the top corner on the far side as the Zips closed the scoring.
Akron closes the regular season with a 14-3-1 record and will be the No. 2 seed in next week's MAC Tournament. NIU finishes its season with a 3-11-1 mark.
