AKRON, Ohio — The LIU men's soccer team's bid to slay a Big East squad for the second time this season came up narrowly short.

Fifth-ranked Akron received a first-half goal from Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal and held on to defeat the visting Sharks, 2-1, on Friday night.

LIU had beaten fellow Big East member UConn, 2-0, a week earlier.

Sharks goalkeeper Eoin Gawronski made eight saves, although a 223-minute scoreless streak ended with the Zips' opening goal. On the goal, the ball deflected off a defender.

The save total fell one shy of Gawronski's career high. He had nine saves as an undergrad with Temple at Georgetown on Sept. 2 of last season. 

Hermann Trophy candidate Emil Jaaskelainen had a pair of quality second-half scoring chances.

Josef Paulus' goal in the 81st minute then provided a two-goal lead for Akron, but freshman Jeffrey Vanegas' goal only 16 seconds later restored the one-goal deficit.

It was the first goal of Vanegas' collegiate career.

"We started the game slowly and got punished in the first half, but we were able to adjust and settle in after the first goal and we bounced back," Gawronski said. "The second half was much better, and we showed that we can compete and play amongst the best in the country. We were unlucky not to get a result in the game, but it's a good opportunity for us to build off of and keep pushing forward." 

LIU returns to action Wednesday when it plays at Fairfield at 7 p.m.