AKRON, Ohio – In the opener of a four-match homestand, a goal in each half propelled the 12th-ranked University of Akron men's soccer team to a 2-0 triumph past Cleveland State on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.
 
The Zips pushed their ledger to 7-3-1 on the campaign with the victory, while the Vikings dipped to 5-6-1 overall with the setback.
 
Redshirt sophomore Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio) got the scoring started for Akron just 52 seconds into the match corralling a defensive miscue by Cleveland State in the box and delivering his first goal of the season to give the Zips a 1-0 advantage. Earning the assist on the tally was senior Stuart Holthusen (Auckland, New Zealand).
 
Making his collegiate debut in net for Akron was redshirt freshman Tor Saunders (Seattle, Wash.) and he was tested immediately making a diving save off a shot by Noah Pio in the second minute (1:15).
 
The two sides then locked into a ball-control battle before Holthusen registered a shot on goal at the 16:23 mark that was saved by Cleveland State goalkeeper Pavle Majerle, also making his 2017 season debut for the Vikings.
 
The Zips posted back-to-back strikes on frame at the 20:29 and 20:34 marks, respectively. Redshirt junior Joe Korb's (Willowick, Ohio) shot was saved with the deflection falling to the feet of Harter, who followed with a strike that was cleared off the line for a team save by Antonio Burgoa.
 
Freshman Joao Moutinho (Lisbon, Portugal) capped the Zips' offensive efforts on frame in the opening half with a shot that was saved by Majerle in the 37th minute (36:02).
 
Akron outshot the Vikings in the opening stanza, 7-3, including 5-2 on goal.
 
The Zips dominated the pace of play in the second half registering a 10-1 advantage in shots, including 4-0 margin on goal. Akron didn't allow a shot for Cleveland State until the 84th minute (83:45).
 
Senior Barth-Luther Mouafo (Douala, Cameroon) capped the scoring for Akron recording his first collegiate goal for the Zips in the 83rd minute (82:24). Moutinho struck a corner kick to junior Morgan Hackworth (Bradenton, Fla.), who in turn played a touch off to Mouafo, who finished from three yards out for the goal.
 
Moutinho paced Akron with a game-high six shots, including three on goal, while Harter and Holthusen each collected a pair of shots. Pio led Cleveland State with two shots.
 
Saunders pulled in a pair of saves en route to collecting his first collegiate shutout and the fifth clean sheet of the season for the Zips. Majerle finished the evening with six saves for Cleveland State.
 
Akron returns to action on Friday, Oct. 13, as the Zips resume Mid-American Conference play hosting SIU Edwardsville in a 7 p.m. tilt at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.

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