AMHERST, N.Y. - Two goals in the first three minutes of the game presented a deficit that the Daemen College men's soccer team could not overcome as the Wildcats dropped an 8-1 decision in non-conference play against visiting Gannon University at Park School Field this afternoon.

Daemen, which was coming off its first win of the season (a 1-0 defeat of D'Youville College on Sunday), fell to 1-5-0 with the loss.  Three of the Wildcats' five losses have come against affiliates of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.  Gannon, which was picked third in the PSAC preseason poll and currently ranked No. 5 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division II Atlantic Region poll, surely looked like the best of that group of opponents this afternoon.

Hamza Mourchid (Hombourg-Haut, France) paced the Golden Knights (3-1-1, 1-0-1 PSAC) to their third win of the season.  The senior forward put the guests on the board at the 1:29 mark, and added another on a penalty kick at the 2:50 mark, en route to four goals on the day.

Mourchid opened the scoring when he got behind the Wildcat defense after taking a feed from junior midfielder Sergio Kobowane (Johannesburg, South Africa) and finishing the play with a low shot inside the left post.  Just moments later, Mourchid was hauled down in the box and when he converted the ensuing penalty kick, Daemen found themselves in a 2-0 hole.

Mourchid would add his third goal of the half at the 22:54 mark when he carried the ball through the left side of the box, put a juke move on Daemen goalkeeper Steve Geffert (North Rose, N.Y./North Rose-Wolcott) who was making his first career start between the pipes, and touched the ball over the goaline.

Daemen generated a pair of chances to get back into the game, none better than a penalty kick that was awarded with 15 seconds remaining before halftime when freshman forward Ali Shawish (Lackawanna, N.Y./Lackawanna) got taken down in the box by GU net-minder Jorge Hernandez (Atvidaberg, Sweden) who had come racing off his perch.  But, Hernandez came up large with the diving save on Shawish's penalty kick attempt.

Additionally, freshman forward Connor Pendleton (Wolcott, N.Y./North Rose-Wolcott) had a chance earlier in the half.  He took a crossing feed inside the box with his back to the goal, turned and struck a low shot with his right foot that Hernandez just got a piece of to negate the chance.

Mourchid opened the second half scoring with his fourth goal of the day, and eighth of the season, at the 60:30 mark.  Mathias Krigbaum, a 6-foot-3 freshman forward, picked up an assist on the play, his first of two in the game.

Freshman Alex Schroeck (Erie, Pa.) put the visitors ahead 5-0 with his first career goal which came at the 64:11 mark.

Daemen would get on the board at the 73:25 mark when senior Colin Edwards (Burlington, Ont./Tiffin University) sent a long pass up the left side to Shawish who one-timed a bouncing ball from just inside the box past a sprawling Hernandez and inside the far post.  It was Shawish's second goal in as many games as he becomes the first Daemen player to score in consecutive games since teammate Kyle Tracy (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) did so against St. Thomas Aquinas College and Roberts Wesleyan College in the middle of last season.

But, just 27 seconds later, Krigbaum scored to push the Gannon lead back to five (6-1) with his second goal of the season.  The Knights would add a pair of goals by Eduardo de Bonis Encinoso (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain) in the final four minutes of the contest.

Gannon launched a total of 30 shots in the game, including 20 in the first half, while placing 21 on frame.  Daemen managed 10 total shot attempts with four going on goal.

Geffert's 12 saves are the most for a Daemen player since teammate Justin Figler (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) stopped 14 shots in a 2-1 loss to Dowling College on October 30, 2015.

Hernandez was credited with the two first-half saves as he picks up his second win of the season (2-0-1).  He gave way to Manuel Mangu (Maple Ridge, British Columbia) for the final 14 minutes of the game; Mangu made one save.

Daemen moves on to face Mercy College in both teams' East Coast Conference opener this Friday, September 16 at Park School Field.

For breaking news and continuing coverage of the Daemen men's soccer team, follow @DaemenAthletics and @DaemenMSOC on Twitter.