AMHERST, NY - Senior striker Jenelle Masi (Greece, NY/Greece Athena HS) enjoyed a career-game as she found the back of the net three times to lead the upstart Daemen Wildcats to a pivotal win in American Mideast Conference play over the visiting Walsh Cavaliers by the final score of 5-1 on another remarkable fall day. With the win, Daemen improves to 10-3 on the season, giving the Wildcats their second consecutive 10-win season, a feat never before accomplished in the 12-year history of the program. Daemen also moves to 6-1 in league play and jumps into a first place tie with Houghton, setting up a huge match when the Highlanders, ranked #15 in the latest NAIA national poll, visit Daemen this coming Saturday. Walsh, meanwhile, falls to 9-3 (5-2 in the AMC) after suffering their second conference loss of the season, both of which have come against Daemen.

"Overall, we played a complete game today," said third-year Daemen bench boss Dan Dolan. "I couldn't be happier with the way we finished plays and defended today."

Masi got things started with her seventh tally of the season in the 15th minute. She took a pass from fellow senior Lindsay Miller (Pocono Lake, PA/Pocono Mountain West HS) and flicked it high in the air over the head of Walsh goalkeeper Jillian Zanney who was racing out towards the ball off the foot of Miller. However, Masi won the race and put Daemen ahead 1-0.

Just moments later, junior Alexa Amata (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island HS) capitalized on a rebound opportunity in the 19th minute to put Daemen up by two. A header from junior Kelsey O'Leary (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia HS) hit the crossbar and caromed directly to Amato who used her head to bury the goal.

The Daemen defensive grouping of Hannah Fraser (Milton, VT/Milton HS), Rachael Banasik (Depew, NY/Depew HS) and Kelsi Maciejewski (East Aurora, NY/East Aurora HS) was stout throughout the first half. Walsh barely sniffed a scoring opportunity in the period and managed just two shots on goal.

Masi picked up her second goal of the game, and eighth of the season, in the opening minutes of the second half, again taking a feed from Miller and finding the back the net pushing Daemen's edge to 3-0. Walsh would respond just 57 seconds later when Carley Adams got the Cavaliers on the board in the 48th minute.

Any thoughts of a possible Walsh comeback were quickly thwarted when Masi got loose on a breakaway, after a steal and quick pass from O'Leary. Masi finished the play to the near post giving her a hat trick and nine goals on the season.

Sophomore forward Samantha Engel (Dryden, NY/Dryden HS) added her team-leading 11th goal of the season in the 66th minute. Engel's goal was similar to Masi's first as she flicked the ball over the head of the goalkeeper. Just to round out her all-around great game, Masi picked up an assist on the play, as did Amato.

Freshman goalkeeper Kayla Hampton (DeRuyter, NY/DeRuyter HS) made six saves to pick up the win.

Houghton (11-2, 6-1), who topped the Wildcats 3-0 in the team's lone matchup of the season, thus far, back on September 27, hosts Point Park (4-7 3-3) on Friday night before traveling to Dimp Wagner Stadium for Saturday afternoon's showdown with Daemen. The winner of Saturday's game will be in prime position to claim the regular season conference championship, which would be a first for Daemen. Game time is set for 2pm.