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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
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mcdonell wsoc vs goldey-beacom 9.26.17
1
Goldey-Beacom GBCW (6-1-1)
2
Winner Daemen DAEW (5-2-1)
Goldey-Beacom GBCW
(6-1-1)
1
Final
2
Daemen DAEW
(5-2-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Goldey-Beacom GBCW 1 0 1
Daemen DAEW 1 1 2

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

Wildcats Ground Lightning For 5th Win Of Season

AMHERST, N.Y. - Freshman goalkeeper Maddie Flores (Seattle, Wash.) registered 11 saves to lead the Daemen College women's soccer team to a 2-1 non-conference victory over visiting Goldey-Beacom College today at Karrer Field, knocking the guests from the ranks of the unbeaten in the process. Goldey-Beacom, an affiliate of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, entered today's contest as winners of four-straight games and boasting an unblemished 6-0-1 overall record this season.

The win pushed Daemen to 5-2-1 on the season, surpassing their 2016 win total with nine games still remaining on their 2017 schedule. Coach Dan Dolan's Wildcats have now won five of their last six outings.

Flores, who learned yesterday she was named the East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week for games played Sept. 11-18, stood tall between the pipes for the Wildcats today as GBC generated a 27-9 advantage in shot attempts. Seven of her 11 saves came in the pivotal second half, including three after Daemen had taken the lead. It marked the second double-figure save performance of the season for a Daemen goalkeeper, matching classmate Katelin White's (Lewiston, N.Y.) total from a 2-0 shutout of Tiffin University on Sept. 10.

Leah McDonell (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) opened the scoring today, putting Daemen on top at the 35:36 mark. She took a feed from freshman midfielder Celia de Pablo Esteban (Burgos, Spain) and scored on a hard, high-driving shot from the left side of the box. The goal came less than 30 seconds after McDonell had entered the game as a sub off Dolan's bench.

Despite being out-shot in the opening period, it looked as if Daemen would take the 1-0 lead into halftime. But, a foul whistled on Daemen granted a free kick opportunity for the Lightning just outside the box and Sophie Greenwood capitalized for the guests. Her shot at the 43:12 mark bent around the Daemen wall and caromed off Flores' hands as she dove to make the save, and off the right goalpost before crossing the goal line to even the score.

GBC carried the momentum of their tying goal into the second half. The Lightning generated several scoring chances over the opening 15 minutes of the period. Flores turned aside four GBC shots in the stretch, and another off the foot of Amy Runciman hit the crossbar.

Flores' biggest save of the game came at the 59:12 mark as she came off the goal line to challenge GBC's Taylor Owen who had snuck behind the Wildcat defense. The save turned into an offensive opportunity as Daemen countered the GBC rush. Redshirt junior midfielder Sarah Britton (Syracuse, N.Y.) found sophomore forward Jamie Boyar (Williamsville, N.Y.) as she was streaking up the right sideline. Boyar carried the ball past a GBC defender and launched a high shot from the far right wing which found its way over the head of GBC goalkeeper Marta Lopez and inside the far post, putting Daemen ahead 2-1 at the 59:32 mark.

From there, the Lightning pressed the issue and generated scoring opportunities but none could get past Flores.

"I was real happy to see us play with the kind of grit and determination that it takes to win," Dolan said afterwards. "I think we kind of let up a little bit after taking the lead, and sometimes that feels natural to just try and sit on it [the lead]. But, we defended and survived late in the game. We conceded a lot of shots, but I thought we played well defensively and kept them shooting from spots that weren't necessarily big danger areas for us."

Junior defender Monique Green (Williamsville, N.Y.) played particularly well in the back end for the Wildcats. She was responsible for marking GBC forward Alanna Speaks, the team's leading scorer (seven goals, 14 points coming in) and certainly a candidate for CACC Rookie of the Year honors. Green played a large role in limiting Speaks to just three shot attempts today.

Daemen returns to East Coast Conference play with a road contest at N.Y. Institute of Technology this Saturday, Sept. 30. First kick is set for 12 p.m. at President's Stadium.

GAME NOTES: Today's loss was Goldey-Beacom's first since Oct. 21, 2016 - a 3-2 loss to Holy Family in the quarterfinal round of the CACC Tournament...the Lightning, who entered the game as the second-highest scoring team in the CACC (2.71 goals per game coming in), were held to one goal for just the third time this season (1-1-1 record in those games)...Flores made her third appearance and second start of the season...she was coming off a six-save performance in Daemen's 1-0 (2OT) win at Clarion on Sept. 19...Flores now owns a personal goalkeeping record of 2-1 with a 1.13 goals-against average and a .857 save percentage this season...as a team, Daemen's 1.06 goals-against average ranks fourth in the ECC...Boyar's goal was her team-leading fifth of the season, four of which have been game-winners...she's the first Daemen player with four game-winning goals in a season since Alexa Amato in 2012...she's now one goal away from matching her 2016 total when she led the team in goals (6) and points (16)...Boyar has started all 24 contests in the last two seasons and has totaled 11 goals, five assists and 27 points...Daemen is 4-0 this season and 6-2-1 in the last two seasons when Boyar scores...McDonell's goal in the first half was the first of her career...she has transitioned to the soccer field after playing four seasons with the Daemen women's basketball team...the Wildcats were without starting midfielder Lindsay Ciaramella who missed her third-straight game with an injury...today's game was the first-ever meeting between Daemen & Goldey-Beacom...it was also Daemen's first game against a CACC opponent since beginning to play a full NCAA Division II schedule in 2013.
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