Women's Soccer 9/7/2018 11:15:00 AM By Jake Carlson, Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant

Women's Soccer Hosts St. Thomas Aquinas to Begin ECC Play

GAME INFORMATION
Game #4
Daemen Wildcats (1-2, 0-0 ECC) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (1-1, 0-0 ECC)
Saturday, Sept. 8 | 11:00 a.m.
Amherst, N.Y. | Karrer Field

GAME LINKS
Watch Live - ECC Network
Live Stats

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.

POINT PRODUCTION
Daemen returns its top three point producers from last year in junior forward Jamie Boyar (11 gls, 3 ast, 25 pts), Celia De Pablo Esteban (4 gls, 3 ast, 11 pts) and Lindsay Ciaramella (2 gols, 5 ast, 9 pts). Boyar led the team and ranked fifth among all ECC players in goals en route to earning third team all-conference honors. Of her 11 goals, seven went down as game-winners tying her for the league lead in that category. She has started all 33 games over the last two seasons and has produced at more than a one-point-per-game clip for her career (17 gls, 7 ast, 41 pts). Ciaramella and de Pablo Esteban are often starting the offensive attack in the midfield. Ciaramella led the team in assists last season.

BETWEEN THE PIPES
Sophomores Maddie Flores and Katelin White continue their battle from last season for the starting goalkeeper position. The pair each saw playing time last year, and both experienced their share of success, combining for three ECC Rookie of the Week and two ECC Defensive Player of the Week selections. White played in and started 13 games last year for the Wildcats, while Flores started four and played in seven. Together, they combined to post a .805 save percentage and a 1.48 goals against average in 2017. Flores got the start in the opening game against Bloomfield giving up two goals in the process, both coming off goalkeeper mistakes.

VETERAN PRESENCE
Nine of Daemen's 11 starters from 2017 all return to the lineup with more experience. 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 Kate 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.

DELAWARE ROAD TRIP & ECC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The Wildcats traveled to Wilmington, Del. over Labor Day weekend for a pair of games against Goldey-Beacom College last Saturday and Wilmington University on Monday. Daemen came up short in both games losing 5-2 and 2-1. Celia de Pablo Esteban was named the ECC Offensive Player of the Week, which was released on Tuesday. De Pablo Esteban tallied three assists and one goal in the two games against Bloomfield and Goldey-Beacom.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS SCOUTING REPORT
St. Thomas Aquinas is a fellow member of East Coast Conference, and the Spartans are coached by Graham Brown who enters his third season as the women's head and his 18th as the men's head coach. The Spartans lost 11 players from last season, but among those returning was the team leader in goals (8), assists (6) and points (22) from last season, Mekenzi Moreau. Junior defender and midfielder Victoria DiMarco is also returning for the Spartans, who was voted Third Team All-ECC in 2017. The Spartans went 6-9-1 overall last season and 2-6 in the ECC. St. Thomas Aquinas was picked to finish just after Daemen in the ECC preseason poll in the nine spot. The Spartans have started off the season 1-1 with a common opponent being Goldey-Beacom College. Both the Wildcats and Spartans lost to Goldey-Beacom. The Spartans were beat 4-0 in its 2018 season opener. The Spartans then beat Dominican (N.Y.) by a score of 3-0 in which three different players scored, one of them being Mekenzi Moreau. The Wildcats have a three-game winning streak on the Spartans with its last loss to coming in 2012, having four wins and a draw in between that time.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. St. Thomas Aquinas: 4-1-1
Streak: Win 3
Last Meeting: Daemen 2, St. Thomas Aquinas 1 (OT) | Sept. 16, 2017 | Sparkill, N.Y.

UP NEXT
Daemen continues its three game home stand with a game Wednesday, September 12 against Shepherd University at 12 p.m.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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

#13 Lindsay Ciaramella: M; 5' 2"; Sophomore

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

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

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

#35 Maddie Flores: GK; 5' 8"; Freshman

#19 Sam D'Agostino: D; 5' 3"; Freshman

#0 Katelin White: GK; 5' 4"; Freshman

#26 Madeline Emmi: D; 5' 4"; Freshman

#2 Kayleigh Daniels: F; 5' 4"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

#13 Lindsay Ciaramella
: 5' 2"; Sophomore
: M

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

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

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

#35 Maddie Flores
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: GK

#19 Sam D'Agostino
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: D

#0 Katelin White
: 5' 4"; Freshman
: GK

#26 Madeline Emmi
: 5' 4"; Freshman
: D

#2 Kayleigh Daniels
: 5' 4"; Freshman
: F