Men's Soccer 10/16/2018 11:45:00 AM By Jake Carlson, Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant

Daemen Travels To Nation's Capital Wednesday

GAME INFORMATION
Game #14
Daemen Wildcats (4-9, 2-4 ECC) vs. District of Columbia Firebirds (5-7-1, 3-3 ECC)
Wednesday, Oct. 17 | 3:00 p.m.
Washington, D.C. | UDC Soccer Field

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FREE KICK
Daemen travels to our nation's capital to take on the District of Columbia Firebirds on Wednesday. Since defeating Roberts Wesleyan on Sept. 22 to move to 4-3 on the season, the Wildcats have suffered six straight defeats, including four against regionally-ranked opponents and two against nationally-ranked teams. They'll look to break through against a UDC team that was picked first in the ECC preseason poll. Things haven't gone exactly as planned but the Firebirds remain in the hunt for a conference tournament berth as just three points separates seventh-place UDC from third-place LIU Post.

BACK IN THE SADDLE
Head coach Bobby McColl returns for his third season on the Daemen sidelines in 2018, and his seventh overall as a collegiate head coach. McColl heads into the 2018 season with a career coaching record of 54-52-8 with previous stops as the head men's coach at Greenville College (2012) and the head women's coach at Roberts Wesleyan College (2013-15). In 2017, he led Daemen to records of 7-11 (overall) and 3-6 (ECC). The team's overall win total matched the program record for wins in a season.

STIFF COMPETITION
Daemen has played one of the most difficult schedules in the East Region this season with eight games against opponents who have won more than half their contests. That's tied for the second most of any team in the East Region. Only District of Columbia (9) and Molloy (9) have played against more games against winning teams so far this season.

CLOSE CALLS
Daemen's 1-0 loss last Saturday against Queens was the Wildcats's fourth by just a single goal this season. Two of those decisions have been overtime losses - a 3-2 loss at Le Moyne on Sept. 8 and a 3-2 loss at #25 Mercy on Oct. 3.

BANGED UP
The injury bug has bitten Daemen over the last several weeks as they've been without several regular contributors. Noah Keem, a third team All-ECC pick in 2017 who scored both goals in Daemen's 2-1 win over Molloy earlier this season, has been out since Sept. 18. His brother, redshirt sophomore defender Joe Keem who started the first eight games of the season, has missed the last four games. Sophomore midfielder Anthony Cupello, who registered a team-high nine assists last season, missed the team's most recent game against Queens.

SUPER SWEDE
Sophomore midfielder Niklas Ringdahl Bohlin is once again producing offensively for the Wildcats. The Fjaras, Sweden native recorded the first multi-goal game of his career in Daemen's 3-2 win over Gannon on Sept. 10. He also registered an assist on Noah Keem's game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Molloy on Sept. 15. Ringdahl Bohlin, who earned team MVP honors as a freshman in 2017, has totaled seven goals, seven assists and 21 points in 31 career games. He's started 29 of the team's 31 contests since the start of the 2017 season.

UP TOP
Sophomores Noah Keem and Finn Krueger have combined to give the Wildcats a scoring punch in the attacking third. Keem, who became Daemen's first-ever All-East Coast Conference honoree last season, scored both goals in the Wildcats' 2-1 victory over Molloy on Sept. 15. Two of the three multi-goal games in Keem's career have come against Molloy. Keem has totaled 11 goals, four assists and 26 points over the last two seasons. Krueger netted two goals during Daemen's 3-2 overtime loss at Le Moyne on Sept. 8, marking the first multi-goal game of his career. Krueger has totaled seven goals, five assists and 19 points in 29 career games played.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Freshman defender Giacomo Bacigalupo has made an immediate impact in his first collegiate season. The Lavagna, Italy native is second on the team with six points on two goals and a pair of assists so far this season. He registered the first goal of his collegiate career during Daemen's 3-2 win over Gannon on Sept. 10. Bacigalupo went on to tally Daemen's lone goal in a 1-0 shutout victory over longtime rival Roberts Wesleyan on Sept. 22.

BETWEEN THE PIPES
Freshman goalkeeper Phillip Schmidt has started all 13 games for the Wildcats thus far, posting two shutouts and a .679 save percentage. Sophomore Jarrett Lecceadone and freshman Eithan Hahn have also seen action in goal this season. Lecceadone is the team's most experienced goalkeeper after appearing in nine games and making five starts in 2017.

THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Daemen's 1-0 win over Roberts Wesleyan on Sept. 22 started the Wildcats off at 2-0 in East Coast Conference play. This is the first time the Wildcats have ever started out 2-0 in conference play in the team's history.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SCOUTING REPORT
District of Columbia is led by Matthew Thompson who has guided the Firebirds to a 60-63-13 record in his eight-year tenure as head coach. The Firebirds were picked first in the ECC preseason poll, and they feature the 2018 ECC Preseason Player of the Year in senior midfielder Gabriel Torres. Torres turned in one of the most prolific offensive seasons in ECC history in 2017, finishing with 20 goals, 12 assists and 52 points. Five additional all-conference honorees return for UDC this season as the Firebirds are coming off a 15-7 campaign, the most successful in team history which included their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. The Firebirds have posted a 5-7-1 overall record so far this season. They evened their ECC record (3-3) with a 2-1 overtime win at Roberts Wesleyan this past weekend. Torres has led the way offensively again with six goals and 17 points, ranking third among the league leaders in both categories. In goal, the Firebirds have started three different goalkeepers with freshman Milton Diaz getting seven starts to lead the team. The Firebirds are sixth in the ECC in goals (21) and seventh in goals allowed (23).

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Series Record: 0-4-1
Streak: Lost 4
Last Meeting: UDC 4, Daemen 1 | Oct. 21, 2017 | Amherst, N.Y.

UP NEXT
Daemen travels to take on perennial ECC powerhouse LIU Post on Saturday, October 20 at 2:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Joe Keem: D; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#16 Anthony Cupello: M; 5' 8"; Freshman

#7 Noah Keem: F/D; 6' 0"; Freshman

#11 Finn Krueger: M; 6' 1"; Freshman

#23 Niklas Ringdahl Bohlin: M; 6' 0"; Freshman

#30 Jarrett Lecceadone: GK; 6' 3"; Freshman

#22 Giacomo Bacigalupo: D; 5' 9"; Freshman

#35 Eithan Hahn: GK; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#6 Joe Keem
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: D

#16 Anthony Cupello
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: M

#7 Noah Keem
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: F/D

#11 Finn Krueger
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: M

#23 Niklas Ringdahl Bohlin
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: M

#30 Jarrett Lecceadone
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: GK

#22 Giacomo Bacigalupo
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: D

#35 Eithan Hahn
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: GK