Wildcats & Storm Clash Friday At Karrer Field

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

Freshman Sam Hanes has been impressive in the midfield during the Wildcats' first two games of the 2017 season

Women's Soccer | 9/7/2017 9:30:00 AM

GAME INFORMATION
Daemen Wildcats (0-1-1, 0-0-0 ECC) vs. Lake Erie Storm (0-2-0, 0-1-0 GMAC)
Friday, Sept. 8 | 4:00 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 71-72-7 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 35 of the 36 games she's appeared in during her career. 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 35 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 48 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, as has sophomore transfer Sarah Kenny, a native of Australia. 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.

FALLING TO THE 'PHINS
Daemen is coming off a 2-0 loss to Le Moyne this past Sunday at Karrer Field. An early goal by freshman defender Kayla Goeddertz on a corner kick opportunity was waved off by the referee for obstructing the movement of the Le Moyne goalkeeper. The game remained scoreless until the Dolphins scored a pair of goals within 95 seconds of one another late in the second half. Daemen attempted to mount a rally and got solid scoring opportunities from Jamie Boyar, Kayla Neumann and Kaylyn Phillips late in the contest, but none found their way over the goal line.

LAKE ERIE SCOUTING REPORT
Lake Erie is in its first season as a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference after leaving the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Reni Lawrence is in her second season leading the Lake Erie women's soccer program. She led the team to a 7-10 overall record in her first year on the job. The Storm return 16 players from their 2016 roster, including six who made at least 10 starts. Headlining the team's returners is senior forward Ashley Pryce who led the team in goals (5) and points (12) last season. Junior goalkeeper Marissa Brannon also returns after posting a 2.26 goals-against average and a .767 save percentage in 16 games played las season. The Storm have opened the 2017 season with back-to-back losses this week, falling at home to Ashland (2-1) in overtime Monday, and on the road to Ursuline (2-0) Wednesday. Brannon made 11 saves in the loss at Ursuline which was also the Storm's first GMAC game of the season. Lake Erie was picked 10th in the GMAC preseason poll.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. Lake Erie: 0-3
Streak: Lost 3
Last Meeting: Lake Erie 2, Daemen 1 | Sept. 1, 2016 | Painesville, Ohio

UP NEXT
Daemen concludes its season-opening four-game home-stand against Tiffin this Sunday, Sept. 10.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#32 Alex Juliano: F; 5' 2"; Senior

#7 Alex Valenti: D; 5' 4"; Junior

#10 Sarah Kenny: M; 5' 6"; Sophomore

#17 Celia de Pablo Esteban: M; 5' 6"; Freshman

#20 Sam Hanes: M/F; 5' 2"; Freshman

#16 Kayla Neumann: M/F; 5' 6"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#32 Alex Juliano
: 5' 2"; Senior
: F

#7 Alex Valenti
: 5' 4"; Junior
: D

#10 Sarah Kenny
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: M

#17 Celia de Pablo Esteban
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: M

#20 Sam Hanes
: 5' 2"; Freshman
: M/F

#16 Kayla Neumann
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: M/F