Akron is coming to Santa Barbara with the mindset of having some unfinished business to complete.
The Zips, who lost in the national title match last year in a penalty-kick shootout, prevailed in a shootout on Saturday against a gritty Cal team, winning 3-2 and earning its second straight trip to the NCAA Men’s College Cup.
The Final Four is set for Dec. 10 and 12 at UCSB’s Harder Stadium. North Carolina and Michigan will join Akron. UCLA and Louisville were battling out for the final spot in the evening.
Kofi Sarkodie converted the deciding penalty kick for the Zips, who gave up a game-tying goal to Cal’s John Fitzpatrick in the 89th minute. Fitzpatrick’s goal, coming off a driven ball into the box by Demetrius Omphroy, tied the score at 3-3.
Akron was unbeaten last year until the College Cup. The Zips beat North Carolina in a shootout in the semifinals and lost to Virginia on PKs in the final.
Several players from that team are coming to Santa Barbara
Punching the ticket wasn’t easy. Playing in snow flurries and temperatures in the low 30s, Cal stunned Akron with the game’s first goal in the 30th minute. Anthony Avalos scored from close range for a 1-0 lead.
The Zips (20-1-2) responded with two goals in a 30-second span. Michael Nanchoff tied the score in the 41st minute off assists by Darren Mattocks and Darlington Nagbe.
Scott Caldwell put them ahead 27 seconds later on pass from Anthony Ampaipitakwong.
But Cal would not fold in the snowy, cold night. The Bears tied it up after a long ball driven into the box by Omphroy got away from Akron goalkeeper David Meves and Tony Salciccia poked in the loose ball.
Akron retook the lead 3-2 on a brilliant individual effort by Perry Kitchen. He dribbled away from pressure and drilled an18-yard shot past Cal goalkeeper David Bingham.
The Bears (14-2-4) continued to fight and Fitzpatrick got the equalizer to send the game into overtime.
But in the shootout, Hector Jimenez missed wide on the first attempt and Servando Carrasco and Davis Paul had their shots stopped by Meves. A.J. Soares and Avalos converted.
Bingham stopped Akron’s Nanchoff and forced Caldwell to shoot wide. He guessed right on Sarkodie’s shot but it had too much power and went off his hands and into the net.
Caldwell and Kitchen also scored in the shootout for the Zips.
GO ZIPS!!!