AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's soccer team raced to a 3-1 victory over Gannon University tonight in non-conference action before a raucous home crowd at Dimp Wagner Stadium.  Sophomore forward Cole Beale (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg) notched two goals and senior goalkeeper Matt Daddario (Amherst, N.Y./Sweet Home) stood tall in net as the Wildcats evened their record at 2-2 for the season.  Gannon, who was picked to finish fifth in the 12-team Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, dropped to 1-3.

Beale continued his hot streak and put Daemen on the board early.  He took a long pass from classmate William Lange (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg) and split two Gannon defenders up the right wing before placing a shot past Golden Knight goalkeeper Matthew Dixon with just 2:03 expired from the game.

Gannon would get the equalizer in the 12th minute of the contest as Chad Petterson conducted a perfect header on a crossing feed into the box by Skhosi Mgobozi, which would be Daddario's only indiscretion of the evening.

Later in the half, Beale struck again, putting Daemen ahed 2-1 in the 42nd minute.  A Daddario punt found the awaiting head of junior Caleb Holmes (Cuba, N.Y./Cuba-Rushford) who perfectly flicked it to a streaking Beale who beat two Golden Knight defenders up the gut and again beat the Gannon goalkeeper who was out attempting to cut down the angle.  For Beale, it was his fourt goal of the season, having scored in three out of the Wildcats' four games, and the first two-tally game of his career.  Daddario was credited with an assist on the play; it was the second of his career having also achieved the rare feat for a goalkeeper back on Oct. 2, 2012 vs. The College At Brockport.

Scoring chances were plentiful in the opening period for both teams.  Daddario turned away half of his 10 saves in the period, while the Daemen offensive attack saw Beale and fellow sophomore Alex Reid (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) both put shots off the right post.

Reid appeared to put Daemen ahead by two early in the second half, but his goal was negated by an offside call.  Nevertheless, insurance would come in the 64th minute as Reid got loose again and netted his first of the season.  Holmes picked up his second assist of the night, finding Reid in the midfield where he carried the ball into the right side of the box before beating Dixon with a hard liner inside the left post.

From there, it was all Daddario who made several highlight-reel quality stops throughout the half.  His 10-save performance marked the sixth time in his career that he's made double-figure stops.

The outcome tonight also marked the Wildcats' first three-goal game since a 3-1 victory at Cleary University last season (Oct. 13, 2013).  It was also the first time Daemen lit the lamp three times at home since an 11-goal outburst vs. Fisher College on Oct. 29, 2011 in Daemen's final regular season game as a member of the American Mideast Conference.

Daemen is back in action this weekend as they open East Coast Conference play on the road, facing Dowling College this Friday (Sept. 19) and the University of Bridgeport on Sunday (Sept. 21).  The Wildcats return to Dimp Wagner Stadium for their ECC home opener on Friday, Oct. 3 vs. Mercy College.