Seattle Sounders Academy product Nick Hinds is in the form of his life.
After winning the starting left back job in preseason, the freshman has made 17 starts for college powerhouse Akron. While a vast majority of those appearances came as a buccaneering fullback – somewhat in the mold of another famous Sounders Homegrown Player who plied his trade with the Zips – Hinds has converted to an attacking midfielder in recent weeks. With four goals and one assist in his last three games, the move has certainly paid dividends.
Hinds first transitioned to the No. 10 role in the 4-0 win over Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference Championship semifinal. He pulled the strings going forward for the Zips and registered an assist.
In the tournament final against Buffalo, Hinds put in a man-of-the-match performance, scoring both goals in the 2-1 victory over the Bulls. His barnstorming display not only guaranteed Akron a spot in the NCAA College Cup, but also earned him spots in the College Soccer News Team of the Week and the MAC All-Tournament team.
His breakout campaign continued in Akron’s 2-0 win over Villanova on Thursday night. With license to roam all over the pitch, Hinds found pockets of space intelligently and picked apart the Wildcats’ defense. He nearly scored early in the first half before setting up a pair of dangerous chances for his teammates.
The first scoring opportunity that Hinds set up came midway through the first half, when he got the ball deep in his own half and picked out Jonathan Lewis down the right flank with a pinpoint 60-yard pass over the top. A few minutes later, Hinds redeemed his earlier miss by handing the Zips a 1-0 lead.
After a breakaway opportunity for Akron striker Sam Gainford, the Wildcats failed to effectively clear the ball. Hinds settled the clearance 25-yards out, sent his marker the wrong way with a drop of his shoulder and struck a venomous shot with his wicked left foot from the top of the box into the bottom right corner.
It was a similar story in the second half, where Hinds was at the heart of all of the Zips’ best scoring chances. A cheeky first-time flicked pass split the Villanova center backs and put Ezana Kahsay through on goal, but his shot flashed wide of the far post. A few minutes later, Hinds made a clever run into the box and elevated for a powerful header, but was denied once more by the Wildcats’ goalkeeper.
As Villanova piled on the pressure in the 72nd minute, a clearance from an Akron defender found Lewis high up the right side of the field. As he drove up the wing and toward the end line, Hinds made a blistering, 60-yard run to get into the box and redirected Lewis’ cutback with a first time finish to the back post.
With the brace, the former Rave Green youth team standout has five goals and four assists in his first collegiate campaign.
As the Zips advance to the next round, the evolution of Hinds will continue against perennial power Indiana.
