Senior Night Spoiled by No. 9 Akron

Friday, October 27

Morgantown, W.Va.

7:00 p.m.

West Virginia University

8-5-4 (0-2-2MAC)

Akron

12-3-1 (3-1-0MAC)

Akron

West Virginia

Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks

October 27, 2017 10:25 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery Senior Night Ceremony Highlights, Coach LeBlanc Postgame Season Stats

By: Charlie Healy

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Playing its fourth top-25 opponent in its last six home games, the No. 25 West Virginia University men's soccer team lost to No. 9 Akron, 4-0 on Friday night at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.

On Senior Night, the Mountaineers (8-5-4, 0-2-2 Mid-American Conference) held the ninth-ranked Zips (12-3-1, 3-1-0 MAC) to just two shots and no shots on goal in the first 36 minutes before Akron scored in the 37th minute. WVU did not allow another shot until the second half, when UA added three goals.

"For the first 36 minutes, it was game on, I thought we gave them the possessions we wanted them to have in the early parts of the game," WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "We were very good on the counter a couple of times. They scored on their first shot on goal, they scored on their second shot on goal, they scored on their third shot on goal, they scored on their fourth shot on goal. I thought for the first 30-something minutes, we were pretty good, we didn't give up too much, kept their danger in front of us and had a couple good opportunities to hit them on the counter. [We had a] couple good crosses, couple balls in the box and a couple moments where we looked like we could get one. We got punished for our mistakes. They're too good of a team to make mistakes against and there was a 15-minute segment there in the second half where we kept making mistakes, and we got punished for them."

WVU had four shots, one on goal, while Akron had nine shots, five on goal. Freshman keeper Steven Tekesky and UA's Ben Lundt both made one save. Sophomore Jorge Quintanilla registered West Virginia's only shot on goal in the contest.

For the Zips, Stuart Holthusen scored the team's first three goals. His first came in the 37th minute, and followed with a goal in the 56th minute on a penalty kick and in the 66th minute. Manuel Cordeiro made it a 4-0 contest in the 70th minute.

Prior to the game, the Mountaineers honored its senior class of Jad Arslan, Heath Honold, Steven James, Joey Piatczyc, Joseph Reece, Jose Santos and Louis Thomas.

Akron controlled the pace for much of the opening 20 minutes, registering a blocked shot and a corner kick, though the Mountaineers limited the Zips from getting good chances on the ball.

The Mountaineers' first opportunity came in the 20th minute, when Quintanilla had a free kick from 25 yards out. However, his shot sailed right into the chest of the Akron keeper.

Seven minutes later, Akron had another shot blocked, and the Mountaineers followed with their second corner kick. The Zips had consecutive corner kick opportunities in the 33rd and 34th minutes, but the Mountaineer defense prevented any good looks on net.

Holthusen then netted his first goal of the game at 36:29. Joao Moutinho and Pau Belana earned assists as Holthusen beat Tekesky, one-vs.-one.

To open the second half, sophomore Albert Andres-Llop had a free kick opportunity in the 52nd minute from 25 yards out, but his shot sailed just wide of the net.

Four minutes later, at 55:19, Holthusen converted on a penalty kick. The foul inside the box was called as an Akron attacker was tripped, setting up the penalty kick.

Holthusen made it 3-0 with his third goal of the game at 65:48. Morgan Hackworth earned the assist on the play.

Cordeiro made it 4-0 on a long strike in at 69:42. Hackworth again was credited with the assist.

In the 77th minute, James nearly put the Mountaineers on the board, but his header from inside the box went just wide. Freshman Tom Shepherd followed with a blocked shot one minute later.

The regular season concludes on Saturday, Nov. 4, at MAC-newcomer SIU Edwardsville. Kickoff in Edwardsville, Illinois, is set for 8 p.m. ET.

For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.