Game 13
Western Michigan at Michigan
Thursday, October 17 l 7:30 p.m.
Ann Arbor, Mich. | U-M Soccer Stadium
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Game 14
Western Michigan vs Akron
Sunday, October 20 l 2 p.m.
Kalamazoo, Mich. | WMU Soccer Complex
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KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan men's soccer team will head to Ann Arbor for a non-conference match against Michigan on Thursday, before hosting Akron on Sunday afternoon. 

Michigan Series History
Michigan leads the all-time series with the Broncos 7-5-1, but Western Michigan has won three of the last five meetings. The Wolverines prevailed last season by a final score of 3-2 in an overtime thriller. 

Scouting the Wolverines
The reigning B1G Tournament runner-ups, who were picked to finish third in the preseason coaches' poll, have earned a record of 6-3-3 overall following a loss to #4 Indiana last weekend. Michigan boasts the top offense in its conference, averaging 5.67 points per game, and is currently receiving votes in the latest College Soccer News Top 30 poll. 

Graduate forward Nebojsa Popovic currently leads the B1G with six goals on the season. The Wolverines also landed three student-athletes on the conference preseason honors list in the 2018 B1G Offensive Player of the Year Jack Hallahan, junior forward Umar Farouk Orman and reigning B1G Defender of the Week Jackson Ragen. 

Akron Series History
This marks the 43rd meeting between these two programs, with Akron leading the all-time series 35-4-3. It is a rematch of the last two MAC Championship finals, with the Zips prevailing in both. The last win for the Broncos against Akron came on 10/7/17 in Kalamazoo. 

Scouting the Zips
Akron, who made a run all the way to the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer National Championship final last season, have started 2019 with an overall record of 3-8-1. The Zips won their MAC opener against Bowling Green on Saturday.

Akron returns four All-MAC performers from 2018, including junior forward David Egbo. The native of Enugu, Nigeria has posted a team best four goals and nine points on the year. 

Food Truck Sunday
Both the Bombas and Mangia food trucks will be selling lunch at the WMU Soccer Complex beginning at 1 p.m on Sunday. Admission to the match between the Broncos and the Zips is free. 
 
Make it Three for the Broncos
Freshman midfielder Charlie Sharp was named the MAC Player of the Week on Tuesday, adding to Anthony Bowie's two previous accolades this season. Sharp scored two goals over two road matches for the Broncos, including the game winner at Oakland on Wednesday. He then put his team up by two late at West Virginia to secure the victory in their MAC opener on Sunday. Charlie was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week for his performance.
 
Rising in the North
Western Michigan is ranked seventh in the latest United Soccer Coaches North Region poll, which was released on Monday. The Broncos made their debut in the regional rankings at number ten last week. They are joined by three other Mid-American Conference programs, with Bowling Green, West Virginia and SIU Edwardsville rounding out the top ten. WMU has won their last four matches to earn an overall record of 8-4 on the season, and lead the MAC with 2.17 goals per game. 

#WeWillReign