Redshirt senior Emil Jaaskelainen and the No. 13-ranked University of Akron men’s soccer team (10-3-4, 7-0-1) host DePaul (6-7-3, 2-4-2) in a Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Saturday at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The Zips won the Big East Conference regular season championship and are led by Jaaskelainen, senior Malik Henry and redshirt Dyson Clapier.
Jaaskelainen enters the match leading NCAA Division I men’s soccer with 20 goals.
This is Akron’s second year in the Big East in men’s soccer.
Check back for updates on tonight’s match between No. 1 seed Akron and No. 8 seed DePaul.
Akron wins 3-1. Emil Jaaskelainen scores two goals for the Zips and Victor Gaulmin nets one goal.
Akron will meet Georgetown in a Big East Conference Tournament semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Maryland SoccerPlex. No. 4 seed Georgetown beat No. 5 seed Creighton 1-0 in a quarterfinal Sturday.
Akron leads DePaul 3-1 with just under three minutes remaining in the second half.
Akron has five shots on goal and six corner kicks.
DePaul has one shot on goal and one corner kick.
Akron leads DePaul 3-1 with just under 15 minutes remaining in the second half.
Akron has five shots on goal and six corner kicks.
DePaul has one shot on goal and no corner kicks.
DePaul’s Logan Finnegan scores a goal with 26:04 to go in the second half. Liam Mullins with the assist.
Akron leads 3-1.
Akron’s Emil Jaaskelainen and Malik Henry with shots on goal that are either kicked or batted away.
Akron leads 3-0 with just under 38 minutes remaining in the second half.
Akron’s Emil Jaaskelainen scores another goal with another header with 43:34 to go in the second half and the Zips lead 3-0. Malik Henry gets the assist.
Jaaskelainen has 22 goals this season.
Akron leads 2-0. The Zips have two shots on goal and both went into the net.
DePaul does not have a shot on goal.
Akron has one corner kick and DePaul has none.
Akron’s Emil Jaaskelainen scores a goal with a header with 15:39 to go in the first half. Beto Ydrach started the scoring sequence with a kick off of DePaul defenders and Jaaskelainen redirected the ball into the net for his 21st goal this season.
Akron’s Victor Gaulmin scores a goal off of a pass from Malik Henry. The Zips lead 1-0 with 18:59 remaining in the first half.
Akron’s Victor Gaulmin sent in a corner kick with 27:32 remaining in the first half and it did not lead to a goal.
Akron 12th-year head coach Jared Embick is starting the following 11 players: redshirt junior goalkeeper Mitch Budler, junior defender Ashton Kamdem, senior defender Jonas Buechte, redshirt senior defender Beto Ydrach, sophomore defender Josh Hardin, sophomore midfielder Matt Dreas, senior midfielder Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal, senior midfielder Victor Gaulmin, redshirt senior forward/midfielder Dyson Clapier, senior forward/midfielder Malik Henry and redshirt senior forward Emil Jaaskelainen.
Freshmen Jack Roman and Nicholas Beier and juniors Stefan Dobrijevic and Daragh Reilly are key reserves.
Emil Jaaskelainen, a native of Bolton, England, has 20 goals and seven assists in his first season at Akron after being a two-time NEC Player of the Year during four seasons at Long Island.
Akron’s Dyson Clapier has four goals and eight assists, Malik Henry has two goals and six assists, Victor Gaulmin has three goals and eight assists, senior Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal has four goals and five assists and Stefan Dobrijevic has two goals and four assists. Dobrijevic is a Firestone High School graduate.
Sophomore midfielder Noeh Hernandez leads DePaul with eight goals and nine assists. Graduate forward Logan Finnegan is second on DePaul’s squad in goals with six.
Senior Santiago Davila is DePaul’s goalkeeper and Mark Plotkin is in his seventh season as the head coach at his alma mater.
Akron and DePaul meet for the third time in men’s soccer on Saturday. The Zips have a 2-0 edge in the series with a 4-0 victory in Chicago on October 19 and a 3-0 win last season at FirstEnergy Stadium in Akron.
Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com.
