Skip To Main Content

Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
Fearless, Integrity, Effort, Respect, Commitment, Excitement
0
St. Thomas Aquinas STACMS (10-5-1, 6-3-0)
4
Winner Daemen DAEM (5-12-0, 3-6-0)
St. Thomas Aquinas STACMS
(10-5-1, 6-3-0)
0
Final
4
Daemen DAEM
(5-12-0, 3-6-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
St. Thomas Aquinas STACMS 0 0 0
Daemen DAEM 1 3 4

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | By Jake Carlson, Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant

Wildcats Beat Regionally-Ranked Spartans In Season Finale

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. – Erik Matthews (Galway, N.Y.) netted a pair of goals and Eithan Hahn (Lancaster, N.Y.) recorded his first career shutout to lead the Daemen College men's soccer team a 4-0 win over regionally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas College in an East Coast Conference game this afternoon at the Williamsville South High School Stadium.

The win snapped a nine-game slide by the Wildcats and sent off the team's lone senior, Zackery Elliott (Bolton, Ont.), with a victory on Senior Day. The final game of the season leaves Daemen with a 5-12 overall record and a 3-6 mark in conference play. The three conference wins match the Wildcats' total from last season, tying the program record for conference wins in a season.

STAC, which had already clinched a berth in the upcoming ECC Championships, fell to 10-5-1 overall and 6-3-0 in league play. The Spartans are ranked seventh in both the United Soccer Coaches East Region poll and the official NCAA Division II East Region rankings. 

The Wildcats got rolling in the 15th minute after a ball was played into the air which was then deflected by a St. Thomas Aquinas defender. The ball then soared into the box to Matthews who headed the ball into the goal. It marked the second goal of the season for the Wildcat freshman, and Daemen took a 1-0 lead into the halftime intermission.

In the second half, Daemen struck again in the 58th minute when Zackery Elliot received a ball down the right wing where he was able to put in a cross to the far post. As it crossed the face of goal, sophomore forward Craig Buchanan (Glasgow, Scotland) waited and finished past STAC goalkeeper Jack Nicholson for his first tally of the season.

Two goals in the span of four-and-a-half minutes all but sealed things later in the period. Matthews' second goal of the game and third of the season came in the 68th minute when he received a ball coming up the right side of the box. Nicholson came off his line to challenge Matthews, but the freshman was able to lift the ball over the keeper and then sneak it inside the post to go up 3-0. The fourth and final goal was Elliott's swan song. When Derek Mancuso (Friendship, N.Y.)  was taken down in the box for a penalty, Elliott stepped up to take the penalty and scored his third goal of the season and career, finishing right when Nicholson dove left.

Hahn got his third start in goal this season and recorded six saves in the shutout, Daemen's third this season. His counterpart, Nicholson, recorded three saves in the game.

The Wildcats were efficient with their shooting throughout the game. While taking less shots than the Spartans, they were able to place more on goal. With its 10 shots, there were seven on goal for the Wildcats compared to St. Thomas Aquinas' 16 shots and six on goal.

The Wildcats finished eighth in the ECC, one spot ahead of where they were picked to finish, and also snap a three-game losing streak against the Spartans.

For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
 
Print Friendly Version