GAME INFORMATION & LINKS
Game #11
Daemen Wildcats (5-5, 3-2 ECC) vs. Bridgeport Purple Knights (5-3-1, 3-1 ECC)
Saturday, Oct. 6 | 12 p.m.
Bridgeport, Conn. | Knights Field

Live Stats
Live Video

FREE KICK
Daemen looks to bounce back following a loss at nationally-ranked Mercy College when it travels to regionally-ranked University of Bridgeport for an ECC game Saturday (Oct. 6). The Purple Knights are ranked fifth in the latest United Soccer Coaches Division II East Region poll. Saturday will mark the third-straight game Daemen has squared off against a regionally-ranked opponent, having defeated New York Tech last Saturday before suffering a loss at Mercy on Wednesday. The 3-1 loss to Mercy moves Daemen to 5-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference. Daemen is fifth in the ECC standings, while Bridgeport is tied for second with LIU-Post and New York Tech behind league-leading Mercy.

OH DANNY BOY
Head coach Dan Dolan returns to the Wildcats for his tenth season in 2018. Since taking over the program in 2009, Dolan has led Daemen to an 80-78-7 record, establishing himself as the program's all-time winningest coach. After going 9-7-1 in 2017, Dolan looks to carry the momentum of that successful campaign into the 2018 season. Dolan's best season came back in 2011 when the Wildcats went 15-4 overall and 11-1 in their final season as a member of the now-defunct American Mideast Conference. 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.

ECC PRESEASON POLL
After a vote of the league's head coaches, Daemen has been picked to finish seventh in the East Coast Conference this season, up one spot up from last year's poll. The Wildcats posted a 9-7-1 overall record and a 3-5 mark in the ECC last season. Daemen finished sixth in the conference last year. Mercy was picked to finish first after going 18-4-1 overall and 7-1 in the ECC last season. 

BETWEEN THE PIPES
Sophomores Maddie Flores and Katelin White have shared time between the pipes for Daemen, much the same as they did during the 2017 season. Both have experienced their share of success, combining for three ECC Rookie of the Week and two ECC Defensive Player of the Week selections last season. White has started four games and Flores has started six, and together they have posted a 2.18 goals against average and a .686 save percentage. White registered the team's lone shutout this season, a 2-0 win over Shepherd on Sept. 12 which marked the fourth shutout of her career. Flores was named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week after posting a season-high eight saves during a 2-1 win over regionally-ranked NYIT last weekend.

VETERAN PRESENCE
Nine of Daemen's 11 starters from 2017 return to the lineup. Leading the back line is seniors Monique Green and Alex Valenti who have combined for 98 games played and 86 games started in their careers. Sophomore Sam D'Agostino will look to capitalize on her freshman campaign after starting 15 games in the back. The trio of Green, Valenti and D'Agostino played a large role in helping Daemen rank sixth in the league in goals against average last season. 
 
FRESHMAN CLASS
Daemen features five freshman this year who look to contribute significant minutes. Elise Williams is a calm and composed midfielder who quarterbacks the field when she is on. She is a smooth player with good vision and can provide defensive help for the back line. Grace Stranahan and Katelyn Sidoti will both look to get into the attacking side with good dribbling and vision on the ball. Their poise on the ball will be key on the pitch to help pilot the midfield. Kayleigh Daniels is an added forward for the Wildcats this season who has the pace and agility to create scoring chances. Madeline Emmi is an outside back with good awareness and speed of play, who can help on the attack while also being a stout defender. With the addition of these five freshmen, the Wildcats will look to be a deeper team this season.

BOYAR MAGIC
Forward Jamie Boyar is entering her third year with the Wildcats and currently leads the ECC in goals (10) and points (21). She has the game-winning goal in four games this year. That number is fourth best in the country at the Division II level. She now has 11 career game-winning goals. Boyar also currently ranks seventh in Division II in goals (10) goals and 12th in goals per game.

PASS HAPPY
Celia de Pablo Esteban has been a leader at her central attacking midfield position. Hailing from Spain, de Pablo Esteban currently has seven assists, which leads the ECC and ranks ranks fourth in Division II. She is also eighth in assists per game with 0.70 average. de Pablo Esteban's assists have led to goals by five different players, with only two going to Jamie Boyar. With Boyar and de Pablo Esteban leading the way, the Wildcats are fourth in the ECC in goals (20), second in assists (16) and second in points (56).

WILDCATS LOSE TO MERCY
Coming off a 2-1 win over regionally-ranked NYIT last weekend, the Wildcats traveled to Mercy on Wednesday to take on the No. 11 team in Division II. The Wildcats lost 3-1, as freshman midfielder Elise Williams (Clarence, N.Y.) scored the lone goal for Daemen.

BRIDGEPORT SCOUTING REPORT
Bridgeport is a fellow member of the ECC who are coached by Magnus Nilerud in his 20th season. Bridgeport has started off the season 5-3-1, outscoring its opponents 22-15 on the season and leading the ECC in total goals. The Purple Knights lost five seniors from its 8-8-2, 4-3-1 season in 2017 after advancing to the ECC Tournament. The Purple Knights had two players named all-conference last season with one of them returning. Senior defender Karoline Vieira returns after being named second team All-East Region last season. Junior M/F Nara DaCosta and junior M/F Megan Doyle lead the team in goals this year with 13 between the two. Junior goalkeeper Jennifer Wendelius leads Bridgeport from the back with the third most saves in the ECC (52). DaCosta (7) and Doyle (6) both rank in the top five in the ECC for goals. Bridgeport (22) and Daemen (20) are two of four teams in the ECC that have scored 20 more goals so far this season.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. BRIDGEPORT
Series Record: 1-4
Streak: Win 1
Last Meeting: Daemen 2, Bridgeport 0 | Oct. 14, 2017 | Amherst, N.Y.

UP NEXT
Daemen will host Queens College on Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 12 p.m. for its last home ECC game of the season.