AKRON, Ohio – Three goals in the opening 19 minutes helped lead 25th-ranked Akron to a 4-1 victory over the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team on Sunday night (Oct. 2) at FirstEnergy Stadium.  

"We were just outmatched (in the opening 20 minutes)," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "Physically, technically, we were giving the ball away, we got caught in bad spaces, (Akron) got in behind us far too easily. Martin Sanchez made a few good saves, or it could have been worse in the first half. Just not a good outing."

NIU goalkeeper Martin Sanchez (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) was called into action early as Jason Shokalook got in behind the Huskie backline, but the Sanchez stood tall to deny the Zips in the fourth minute.

Akron (6-2-2, 1-0-0 MAC) went in front in the seventh minute as Dyson Clapier headed the hosts in front. Malik Henry sent a cross from the right side to the edge of the six on the far side where Clapier headed it on frame. A Huskie defender nearly recovered to the goal line in time to clear it, but the ball had already crossed the line to give the hosts a 1-0 advantage. 

The Zips doubled their advantage in the 14th minute as Joel Sangwa finished from near the top of the six to give Akron a 2-0 lead. Akron earned a free kick about 35 yards from goal and Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal whipped the ball into the box where Sangwa redirected it with a glancing header past Sanchez for the goal. 

In the 19th minute, Akron added a third as Shokalook got in behind the Huskie defense and fired a shot that cannoned back off the post right to Ashton Kamdem who blasted the rebound high into the net to give the Zips a 3-0 lead. 

Zachariah Thomas (Burnaby, British Columbia/Moscrop Secondary) had a look at goal in the 28th minute for NIU as he cut inside from the right wing and hit a shot from near the top of the box into the arms of Akron goalkeeper Mitch Budler.

NIU (3-4-3, 0-2-0 MAC) had another chance off a free kick in the 35th minute. Patrick Coleman (Antioch, Ill./Notre Dame) earned the Huskies a free kick 20 yards from goal and left of the top of the box. Enrique Banuelos (Mexico City, Mexico/Virginia) stepped up to take the free kick and hit the outside of the near post past Budler.

Akron added a fourth six minutes before halftime. Josh Hallenberger played the ball across the top of the 18 to Josef Paulus who cut to his left and fired a rocket past Sanchez as the Zips took a 4-0 lead into halftime. 

After the intermission, NIU had an opportunity in the 53rd minute as Thomas whipped a cross in from the right side but Banuelos could not redirect his header on target. 

In the 84th minute, Sanchez made an outstanding save with his feet as a low cross from the right found Hallenberger near the penalty spot, but the Huskie goalkeeper reacted well to make the stop.

NIU scored late on as Cesar Cuellar (Miami, Fla./Florida International) played a ball to Kevin Galiano (Bellingham, Wash./Meridian) just inside the box on the right side. Galiano played the ball across the face of goal where it deflected off Taylor Davis (Wichita Falls, Texas/Wichita Falls) and then off an Akron defender into the net for a Zips own goal in the 89th minute. 

Sanchez finished with five saves in the contest, Budler made one stop for the Zips. 

NIU will return to action on Thursday, Oct. 6, as the Huskies travel to Chicago State. Game time against the Cougars is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Kroc Stadium.