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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
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Men's Soccer Hosts Salem In Non-League Tilt

10/2/2019 1:00:00 PM

By: Tom McDermott, Sports Information Consultant

GAME INFORMATION & LINKS
Game #8
Daemen Wildcats (0-7-0, 0-2-0 ECC) vs. Salem Tigers (2-5-1)
Thursday, Oct. 3 | 10:30 a.m.
Williamsville, N.Y. | Williamsville South HS
Live Streaming Video (via ECC Network)
Live Stats

FREE KICK
Daemen takes a break from conference play Thursday (Oct. 3) when it hosts Salem University. The Wildcats fell to 0-7-0 overall and 0-2-0 in the East Coast Conference following a 3-1 setback to nationally-ranked Mercy College this past Saturday. Mercy entered the game ranked ninth nationally and second in the East Region by the United Soccer Coaches. Salem is a NCAA Division II Independent. The Tigers posted a 2-1 (OT) win over Slippery Rock University this past Saturday and are coming off a 5-2 loss to Point Park University on Tuesday.

SITE AND TIME CHANGE
Thursday's game was originally set to be played at Karrer Field on the campus of The Park School, but the site and start time have been changed. The game will now be played at Williamsville South High School and will start at 10:30 a.m.



BELIEVE IN BEDI
The 2019 season marks a new era for the Wildcats as head coach Bediako Swan takes the reins. Swan was introduced last February as the sixth head coach in the modern era of the Daemen men's soccer program, coming over after assistant coaching gigs at Division I St. Francis (Pa.) and Division II Davis & Elkins. Last fall in his only season with the Red Flash, Swan contributed to St. Francis' 9-5-3 campaign. In four seasons at D&E, he helped the Senators average 10 wins per season. A native of Grenada, Swan is a 2012 graduate of D&E where he enjoyed a successful playing career that included two all-conference and one all-region selection.  

HOME COOKING
Thursday's game will mark the second of three-straight home games for Daemen. The Wildcats posted a 4-3-0 record at home last season, their first season with a better than .500 winning percentage at home since going 3-0-0 in 2000.

BUILDING BLOCKS
The Wildcats return 11 players from last year's team that finished 5-12-0 overall and 3-6-0 in the ECC. Five of the returning 11 hold two years of collegiate playing experience. Those five players - goalkeeper Jarrett Lecceadone, midfielder Anthony Cupello, forwards Derek Mancuso, Craig Buchanan and Nate Sorgi - have each played a role in helping Daemen to 12 wins over the last two seasons, marking the program's most successful two-year span since winning 14 games from 2005-06. Lecceadone saw action in nine games and made five starts as a freshman, but was limited by injuries to just two appearances in 2018. He and sophomore Eithan Hahn have shared the goaltending duties thus far in 2019. Cupello was named the team's MVP despite missing the final five games of the 2018 season with an injury. In 30 career games, Cupello has posted 17 points (3 gls, 11 asts). Buchanan has appeared in 37 games over the last three seasons, totaling three goals and two assists.

LUNDIN BRIDGE
Sophomore defender Pontus Lundin has netted two of Daemen's five goals so far this season, with both coming by way of penalty kick. His goal in the 64th minute vs. Malone on Sept. 5 evened the score at 1-1, and marked the first tally of his collegiate career. Two days later against Walsh, his goal at the 51:00 mark broke a scoreless tie, and held up as the game's only scoring until Walsh netted the equalizer with less than four minutes remaining in regulation.

A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Several players have recorded their first career point in recent games. Junior Derek Mancuso (Friendship, N.Y.) and redshirt sophomore Ben Christidis (Fairport, N.Y.) both registered their first career point during the loss to regionally-ranked Le Moyne on Sept. 17. Mancuso netted his first career goal, while Christidis assisted on the goal for his first career point. Freshmen Alex Christidis (Fairport, N.Y.) and Eman Wajed (Buffalo, N.Y.) also registered their first career points during the loss to Cal U on Sept. 25. Christidis netted his first career goal early in the second half. Wajed assisted on the goal for his first career point. Freshman Chris Cox (Buffalo, N.Y.) scored his first goal in the loss to nationally-ranked Mercy. His goal with 9:55 left before halftime gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

RIDERS ON THE STORM
Daemen's game at Gannon on Sept. 11 was suspended and later fully postponed due to a thunderstorm moving through the Erie, Pa. area. Because the game had not yet reached the 70 minute mark, it was essentially declared a no contest. The teams have re-scheduled the game for Monday, Oct. 7 at McConnell Family Stadium. The game will re-start from the beginning with a 0-0 score.

SALEM SCOUTING REPORT
Salem is led by veteran head coach Florin Marton. He has guided the Tigers to a winning record in four of the last five seasons. Salem posted a 9-8-2 record last year and was selected to play in the ECAC Division II championship game. Junior Andrea Morelli scored both goals in the win over Slippery Rock and has scored a team-high three goals on the year. Freshman Siya Mfusi assisted on two goals in a 4-0 win over Pikeville. Freshman Luis Felipe Ramirez has started all eight games in goal and owns a 2.12 goals against average. He made a season-high six saves in a scoreless tie with Chestnut Hill University.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. SALEM
Series Record: 0-0 (First Meeting)
Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A

ON THE HORIZON
Daemen returns to conference play Saturday (Oct. 5) when it hosts the University of Bridgeport.
 

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