Women's Soccer Hosts St. Michael's In Season Opener

By: Mike Miranto, Associate A.D. For Communications

Women's Soccer | 8/31/2017 7:00:00 AM

GAME INFORMATION
Daemen Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. St. Michael's Purple Knights (0-0, 0-0 NE-10)
Friday, Sept. 1 | 2:00 p.m.
Amherst, N.Y. | Karrer Field

GAME LINKS
Live Stats
Live Video on the ECC Network

OH DANNY BOY
Head coach Dan Dolan returns for his ninth season on the Daemen sidelines in 2017. Since taking the reins of the program in 2009, Dolan has guided the Wildcats to a 71-71-6 record. The high water mark of Dolan's tenure came in 2011 when the Wildcats went 15-4 overall and 11-1 in their final season as an affiliate of the now-defunct American Mideast Conference (AMC), with Dolan earning AMC Coach of the Year honors. He went on to lead the program to three-straight appearances in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) national championship game during the team's transition to NCAA Division II, winning the title in 2012. Dolan recently sat down for a video interview previewing his team's 2017 campaign.

WILDCATS PICKED 8TH IN ECC PRESEASON POLL
Following a vote of the league's head coaches, Daemen has been picked to finish eighth in the East Coast Conference this season. The Wildcats went 4-10-2 overall and 1-6-1 in league play last season. Bridgeport, which has won the last two ECC and East Region championships, was picked as the favorite to win the league again this year, and the Purple Knights open the season ranked No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches Division II preseason poll.

BEND IT LIKE BOYAR
Daemen returns its top five point producers from last season, headlined by sophomore striker Jamie Boyar who totaled six goals, four assists and 16 points as a true freshman in 2016. In doing so, she became the first Daemen freshman to lead the team in goals and points since Alicia Vasiloff in 2008, and her point total was the most for a Daemen freshman since Kim Obermeier posted 21 points in 2012. She also led the team in shots (38) and shots on goal (19), and was one of only three players to start all 16 games. The Wildcats posted a 2-2-1 record in games that she scored in.

VETERAN PRESENCE
Daemen's roster features five players who have played in more than 30 games in their respective careers. On defense, junior Alex Valenti has started 33 of the 34 games she's appeared in over the last two seasons. She's joined by classmate Monique Green who doubled her starts, from seven as a freshman to 14 last season. In the midfield, red-shirt junior Sarah Britton is coming off her finest season as she tallied three goals and seven points in 2016. Britton has made 18 starts and 33 appearances in her career. And up front, the Wildcats retain the services of seniors Alex Juliano and Kalyn Compeau. Juliano has six goals and 14 points in 46 career games, while Compeau has totaled 14 goals and 33 points over 44 career games, including the two seasons she played for Medaille.

FRESH FACES
The Wildcats welcome 21 newcomers to the roster in 2017, including 17 freshmen. Hailing from Canada, freshman Sam D'Agostino has been impressive in preseason camp and is expected to see a healthy dose of playing time at the center back position. In the midfield, local product Sam Hanes and Celia de Pablo Esteban from Spain have established themselves as potential key contributors. At forward, expect freshman Kayla Neumann to get some time playing alongside Jamie Boyar.

MAKING A MOVE
One of the new additions to the roster should be a familiar name for Daemen fans as Leah McDonell transitions to soccer from the women's basketball team. McDonell completed her four years of basketball eligibility last winter, finishing her career with 1,005 points, 511 rebounds, 258 assists and 150 steals. She was a second-team All-ECC performer last winter, and she joins a list that includes former hoopers Lindsay Stoddard and Joanna Daugenti as players who have competed in both soccer and basketball for the Wildcats.

ST. MICHAEL'S SCOUTING REPORT
St. Michael's is a member of the Northeast-10 Conference, and the Purple Knights are coached by Wendy Elles who enters her fifth season at the helm. SMC returns 19 players from their 2016 roster which achieved an overall record of 4-13 and a conference mark of 3-11. Two of the Purple Knights' four wins last season came over regionally-ranked teams, including a stunning 2-1 win over Merrimack which saw SMC score twice in the final 46 seconds of the game. Among the team's returners is junior goalkeeper Megan LeCours who made 15 starts between the pipes in 2016 while posting a 2.27 goals-against average and a pair of shutouts. Junior midfielder Emily Durette is the team's leading point producer among returners after posting two goals and five points in 2016.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. St. Michael's: 0-1
Streak: Lost 1
Last Meeting: St. Michael's 2, Daemen 1 | Oct. 8, 2016 | Colchester, Vt.

UP NEXT
Daemen continues its season-opening four-game home-stand by hosting Le Moyne College on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 11 a.m.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Rose Carboni: D; 5' 5"; Junior

#24 Kelly DuVall: M; 5' 5"; Senior

#18 Alexis Koral: M; 5' 5"; Redshirt Senior

#11 Jackie Wescott: GK; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#3 Stephanie Zurales: F; 5' 4"; Junior

#23 Jamie Boyar: F; 5' 2"; Sophomore

#9 Sarah Britton: M; 5' 6"; Redshirt Junior

#13 Lindsay Ciaramella: M; 5' 2"; Sophomore

#5 Kalyn Compeau: F/M; 5' 6"; Senior

#22 Monique Green: D; 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#10 Rose Carboni
: 5' 5"; Junior
: D

#24 Kelly DuVall
: 5' 5"; Senior
: M

#18 Alexis Koral
: 5' 5"; Redshirt Senior
: M

#11 Jackie Wescott
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: GK

#3 Stephanie Zurales
: 5' 4"; Junior
: F

#23 Jamie Boyar
: 5' 2"; Sophomore
: F

#9 Sarah Britton
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Junior
: M

#13 Lindsay Ciaramella
: 5' 2"; Sophomore
: M

#5 Kalyn Compeau
: 5' 6"; Senior
: F/M

#22 Monique Green
: 5' 8"; Junior
: D