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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
Fearless, Integrity, Effort, Respect, Commitment, Excitement
keem msoc at queens 10.18.17
3
Winner Daemen DAEM (6-9, 2-5 ECC)
2
Queens (N.Y.) QUEM (5-6-2, 2-3-2 ECC)
Winner
Daemen DAEM
(6-9, 2-5 ECC)
3
Final
2
Queens (N.Y.) QUEM
(5-6-2, 2-3-2 ECC)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Daemen DAEM 1 1 1 3
Queens (N.Y.) QUEM 1 1 0 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Mike Miranto, Associate A.D. For Communications

Keem's Overtime Goal Lifts Daemen Over Queens

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Freshman forward/defender Noah Keem (Amherst, N.Y.) scored in the 99th minute to deliver a 3-2 overtime victory for Daemen College over host Queens College in a thrilling East Coast Conference men's soccer game this afternoon at the QC Soccer Field.

Keem, who also notched an assist on Daemen's first goal today, has now posted all 18 of his points this season (seven goals, four assists) over the Wildcats' last seven games, helping the team to a 4-3 record in those contests. He has recorded at least two points in six of the last seven games, and today's performance extends his personal point streak to three-straight games. A two-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection already this season, Keem presently leads all ECC freshmen in goals and points, and ranks fifth overall among the league leaders.

Daemen, which was coming off a gut-wrenching 4-3 (2OT) loss to the University of Bridgeport this past Saturday, improved its overall record to 6-9 this season, including a 2-5 mark in ECC play, with today's victory. The six overall wins are the most for Daemen since the team began playing a full NCAA Division II schedule in 2013, and it brings them just one win shy of the team record for wins in a season established in 2005 and 2006. The Wildcats' two league wins this season match the team's most since joining the ECC in 2013 (also had two league wins in 2014). Both of the team's ECC victories this season have come in overtime (previously defeated Roberts Wesleyan College 2-1 on Oct. 4), and the Wildcats improved to 4-5 this season in games decided by a single goal.

Queens saw its postseason hopes take a major hit with the loss today, falling to 5-6-2 overall and 2-3-2 in league play. The Knights entered the contest among a group of four teams that sit within striking distance of working their way into the top four of the ECC standings. 

"I'm really proud of the character and fight that the guys showed today," said second-year head coach Bobby McColl. "We have lost a couple of close games recently, but to bounce back and come from behind twice was pleasing. This team continues to compete in every game, and we are looking forward to our next game."

Junior forward Saufyane Ilboudo put the Knights on the scoreboard with his third goal of the season at the 33:50 mark, scoring off a crossing feed from junior midfielder John Romero. 

But, Daemen came right back and evened the score at the 37:35 mark as Craig Buchanan (Glasgow, Scotland) struck a shot to the bottom left corner of the goal after taking a pass from Keem.

The teams went to halftime knotted at 1-1, despite a 13-2 disparity in shot attempts in favor of the hosts.

Ilboudo struck again with an unassisted tally at the 76:00 mark as Queens edged back in front.

Again, the Daemen answer came quickly. At the 79:41 mark, freshman defender Brage Wiik (Tromsoe, Norway) tapped in a corner kick feed from classmate Anthony Cupello (Rochester, N.Y.) to even things up at two goals apiece.

That set the stage for Keem's heroics in the first overtime period. Following a Queens corner kick, Daemen gained possession and countered with a long clearing pass down the field by redshirt junior midfielder Shaquille Corrica (New York City, N.Y.). Keem won the race to the ball, beating a Queens defender and goalkeeper Robert Retnauer who had come racing out of the net. With Retnauer out of position, Keem got just enough energy on his shot attempt to send the ball toward the goal, and it trickled over the goal line at the 98:25 mark before a sprinting Queens defender could get there, sending the Wildcats into another frenzied celebration.

Queens ended the game with a 22-6 advantage in total shots. All three of Daemen's shots on goal made their way to the back of the net. 

Freshman net-minder Mike D'Amato (Orchard Park, N.Y.) made his eighth consecutive start for the Wildcats. He went the distance and made six saves while earning his fourth goalkeeping victory of the season (4-4 record).

Daemen is back in action this Saturday, Oct. 21 with the final home game of their 2017 season as regionally-ranked University of the District of Columbia comes to Karrer Field for an ECC clash. First kick is slated for 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES: Daemen has now scored multiple goals in three consecutive games for the second time this season...previous streak of five-straight multi-goal games from Sept. 2-16 was the longest such streak in team history...Keem's goal was the second game-winner of his career...he was previously credited with the game-winning goal in Daemen's 6-1 defeat of Pitt-Johnstown on Oct. 10...the heroics today came just hours after Keem was nominated for the Division II Hero of the Week award...he's also the second Daemen freshman with an overtime game-winner this season...freshman defender Sander Johnannessen scored the game-winning goal in overtime to beat Roberts Wesleyan on Oct. 4...Corrica's assist on the Keem goal was the first of his career...Corrica is the 11th Daemen player to register an assist this season...Cupello's assist on the Wiik goal was his seventh of the season...he's tied for second in the league in assists...Wiik's goal was his first since Sept. 9...Daemen is now 2-1 in overtime games this season...the Wildcats have now played back-to-back overtime games for the first time since early October of 2014...McColl sent nine freshmen out in his starting lineup today, as he's done in all 15 games this season (at least nine freshmen starters)...all three of Daemen's goals were scored by freshmen today...Daemen ranks second in the league with 34 total goals...of that total, 31 have been scored by freshmen which is more goals than six ECC teams overall...Daemen's 34 goals are the team's most since scoring 43 in 2011...today's result marked Daemen's first win the all-time series with Queens, improving to 1-4.

 
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