Akron (15-3-4) defeated SMU (13-7-1) in the second round of the NCAA tournament 3-2, Sunday night at Wescott Field. The loss eliminated SMU from the tournament. Redshirt freshman Tyler Engel and senior Arthur Ivo scored for the Mustangs.
Wescott Field hosted nearly 900 fans in the stadium, which amplified the atmosphere the entire night.
However, Akron quickly diminished the SMU cheers after their leading scorer, Daren Mattocks headed the ball into the goal in the 22nd minute. Akron carried the 1-0 lead into the second half. The Zips posted 2-0 on the scoreboard from a penalty kick by Luke Holmes in the 63rd minute. The dangerous 2-0 lead left SMU hustling to take back control of the game. In the 76th minute, the lethal Mattocks slipped a ball inside of the far post and sealed a 3-0 Akron lead.
However, the next 14 minutes belonged to the Mustangs. After the ball was headed to Engel, he tucked the ball inside of the right post from four yards out and scored one for the Mustangs. This was Engel’s fourth goal of the season. The Mustangs momentum was carried from the field and into the stands, as fans cheered for a hopeful comeback. Within 34 seconds, Engel was fouled in the box and produced a penalty kick for SMU. Arthur Ivo stepped to the challenge and fired the ball to the back of the net, setting the score 3-2. The goal is Ivo’s team-leading 10th goal of the year.
The two sudden goals disrupted Akron’s comfortable 3-0 lead and set the game into an intense and aggressive match in the last 8 minutes. SMU had a corner kick in the 86th minute and another shot on goal in the following minute, but the ball never saw the back of the net again. Akron managed to keep the 3-2 lead until the whistle, advancing them in the NCAA tournament.
The Mustangs have comeback several times this year and even with a monstrous 3-0 lead to overcome the Mustangs never let go of hope.
“It was always in reach,” Ivo said, who finished his career with 68 points in 71 career games. “It comes from our hearts. It comes from who we are, every day in training.”
Ivo is one of the seven seniors who began their career with SMU the same year head coach Tim McClements did.
“These guys have been there with me from day one, going into that transition,” said McClements.
Although it was the end of a season, he knew they would serve as legacies to future Mustangs. “They’ll be great for the younger players to come in. Because we can say, ‘Look at Adam [Still], that’s the way to do it. Look at Arthur, that’s the way we want it done.’ They’re great role models for the younger players.”
The Mustangs finished the season with a 13 wins, 7 losses and 1 tie.
