[NCAA DIVISION I MEN] No. 1 Akron beat Tulsa, 1-0, on Kofi Sarkodie's goal in the 17th minute and tied Indiana's record for the most consecutive wins in a season with its 23rd straight victory. Despite cold and wind, the game was a sellout, shattering the Akron record with 4,254 fans at Lee Jackson Field.


"I am proud that we get to go and showcase our program," said Akron coach Caleb Porter.  "I am excited to play quality opponents and some that we have never played before. It starts with North Carolina, who plays in one of the top conferences in the country, on Friday.

"It is important to not forget what we are in the College Cup to do and that is to win a national championship. We are not satisfied with where we are at now. We went into this year wanting to win a national championship. We will enjoy this experience, but we are there to win a national championship."

Sarkodie scored by putting the finishing touch on a perfectly-placed through ball from Blair Gavin near mid field. Sarkodie took the pass in stride, made a strong run to the right post and slipped the ball over the goalkeeper's' right shoulder into the upper-left corner of the net.

"All wins are rewarding in their own way," Porter said. "When we go through the year and dominate as much as we have, a 1-0 game may not feel as dominate as some of the other wins. But I thought we made some very good plays in the first half and Kofi Sarkodie's goal was incredible. At the end of the day, the one goal was all we needed."

Tulsa concluded the season with a 15-5-2 overall record, finishing just one win shy of the school record set last year with 16.