AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women’s soccer team took control of a scoreless match with a trio of second half goals to knock off visiting Eastern Michigan, 3-0, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field on Sunday afternoon.

 

Senior goalkeeper Jeny Wolbert made three saves in the contest to record her 22^nd career win in net. The victory gives Wolbert the Akron career goaltending wins record, breaking Krystin Wilson’s previous mark of 21. Wilson tended net for the Zips from 2004-07. The shutout was the 14th of Wolbert’s career.

 

Akron (4-3-1, 1-0-1 Mid-American Conference) kept its fourth straight clean sheet and limited EMU (0-8-1, 0-2-0 MAC) to just three shots on goal – all coming prior to halftime - in the match. UA is 3-0-1 during its shutout streak.

 

Junior Ashley Hughes, sophomore Kelly DeNiro, and freshman Alexandra Frawley all scored for the Zips. Akron held an 11-3 advantage in shots on goal in the contest. Hughes, DeNiro, and senior Rachel Phillip fired three shots each.

 

Hughes opened up a scoreless match less than ten minutes into the second half, when she connected with a Jordan Clark free kick. Senior defender Kara Cooper completed a good spell of possession by Akron with a run down the right side, where an EMU defender hauled her to the ground. Clark’s resulting restart was deflected to Hughes, who fired a shot from the corner of the 6-yard box into the far left post for her team-leading third goal of the season. Clark picked up her first assist of the year.

 

DeNiro turned in a top-notch strike in the 67^th minute to extend the Akron lead. DeNiro collected a loose ball in the center of the Akron attacking half, moved unopposed to 25 yards out, and unleashed a blast that skimmed inside the right post leaving EMU keeper Maggie Manville with no chance. It was DeNiro’s second goal of the season.

 

Frawley put the exclamation point on the match with her first collegiate goal in the 83^rd minute. The freshman midfielder found the end of a Kirsten Schulte corner and finished with a header from eight yards out.

 

Kyarah Foushee’s 26^th minute first-time volley of a Clark free kick proved to be Akron’s best chance of the first half. Clark provided the service from just outside the penalty area on the right flank and Foushee darted inside her marker to get a high boot to the cross at the corner of the 6-yard box. The volley was tipped wide of the far post by Manville to keep the game scoreless.

 

Akron sent five shots on goal in the first period, while Wolbert made three first half saves. The Zips fired eight shots – to EMU’s three – in the second period, and held possession for long stretches of action.

 

The Zips will look to continue their recent good form and remain unbeaten in MAC play next weekend when they travel to Northern Illinois and Western Michigan. UA plays NIU Friday at 5:00 p.m. EST and WMU Sunday at 1:00 EST.

 

Zips Notebook: Akron has not conceded a goal in 406 minutes, dating back to its 0-1 loss at South Florida on Sept. 9 … Jordan Clark tallied her fourth career assist … Kirsten Schulte’s assist was the first point of her career.