The matchup UCSB hoped for last December will take place 10 months later at Harder Stadium.
The 19th-ranked Gauchos play defending national champion and No. 3-ranked Akron in a nationally televised (Fox Soccer Channel) game Wednesday at 7 p.m.
For Akron, the game marks a return to the venue where it won its first national championship, beating Michigan and Louisville in the College Cup at Harder Stadium.
“We are excited and can’t wait to get back to Santa Barbara,” Akron coach Caleb Porter said. “Obviously, we have some special memories from being there last year. We’re hoping we can use that to our advantage; knowing we played two tremendous games on that field in the College Cup. We love the stadium, the weather, and the fans are tremendous. Not to mention, it will be on national television. What more could you want?”
The Gauchos’ dream of playing for the national title at home was shattered in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Cal.
Akron was on a mission to win the title after being denied in 2009 in a penalty-kick shootout with Virginia in the final.
Akron (7-0-2) had a record seven players off the 2010 team get drafted in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft, including five in the first round.
For most programs, you’d expect the following year to be one of rebuilding after losing so many quality players.
Not at Akron.
Porter reloaded with one of the best recruiting classes in the country to join two prominent returnees that chose to stay another year in the program.
Forward Darren Mattocks returns after scoring 19 goals last season as a freshman and midfielder Scott Caldwell, the Zips’ hero during last year’s playoff run, takes center stage as the team’s playmaker after being a role player on the star-studded 2010 team. Caldwell scored five goals in the postseason, including the game-winner against Louisville in the College Cup final in December.
Mattocks leads the Zips with seven goals, while Caldwell has four goals and seven assists.
Porter’s new crop of stars include freshman midfielder Wil Trapp, the 2010 NSCAA National High School Player of the Year, midfielder Aodhan Quinn, the son of former national team player Brian Quinn, and forward Luke Holmes, a transfer from Notre Dame College of Ohio, where he was NAIA Player of the Year in 2010.
Holmes made his first appearances last weekend in wins over Ohio State and Western Michigan and had two goals and two assists.
“Luke coming back is really going to help us. He’s another guy who can score goals. He can score and slip passes and bring some energy to our team,” said Porter after the Ohio State win.
“We’ve got more weapons than you think. Everybody is keying on Darren and Scotty, but if you start doing that … we’ve got other guys who can score. Wil is another guy you forget about. He’s piling up the assists because guys aren’t stepping to him as much as Scotty.
“We have a deeper group of attacking players than people think. That’s a good thing.”
Akron has outscored its opponents 22-3 and is one of just five Division 1 programs in the country that have yet to suffer a loss this fall.
“Our players are really looking forward to a quality match against a talented UCSB team,” Porter said. “It should be a great showcase for college soccer and certainly for us, an experience that will help us grow. I expect you will see a confident and relaxed group take the field.”
The Gauchos (6-3-1), on a two-game losing streak, will be looking to regain their confidence in the attacking third of the field. David Opoku shares the team lead with midfielder Luis Silva with five goals, but he’s misfired on several quality chances. Forwards Dom Sarle and Sam Garza have just three goals between them.
The Gauchos sorely miss speedy right fullback Peter McGlynn, whose overlapping runs create havoc for defenses. He’s been sidelined for a month with a sprained ankle.
The Gauchos were beaten 3-1 at UC Riverside and blanked 2-0 last Saturday at home against UC Irvine to start Big West play at 0-2 for the first time since 2000.
