GAME INFORMATION & LINKS
Game #6
Daemen Wildcats (0-5, 0-1 ECC) vs. California (Pa.) Vulcans (0-3, 0-0 PSAC)
Wednesday, Sept. 25 | 5 p.m.
California, Pa. | Phillipsburg Soccer Facility
Live Stats
Live Streaming Video (via YouTube Live)
FREE KICK
Daemen makes its first-ever trip to California University of Pennsylvania for a non-conference game Wednesday. Both teams will be looking for their initial victory of the 2019 season. The Wildcats opened the year with non-league setbacks to Malone (2-1), Walsh (2-1), Findlay (5-0) and regionally-ranked Le Moyne (7-1), before suffering a 3-0 loss at New York Tech in their East Coast Conference opener this past Saturday. Cal U opened the year with a 2-1 loss to regionally-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan, before suffering a pair of 4-0 setbacks to Cedarville and Roberts Wesleyan.
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
Wednesday's game will mark the second-straight road game for Daemen, which played three of its first four games at home. 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 are likely to each see time between the pipes early this season. 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 35 games over the last three seasons, totaling three goals and two assists.
LUNDIN BRIDGE
Sophomore defender Pontus Lundin has netted two of Daemen's three 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.
FOR THE RECORD
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 just 3:06 before halftime. Christidis assisted on the goal for his first career point.
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.
CALIFORNIA U SCOUTING REPORT
Cal U is led by head coach Emedin Sabic, who is in his seventh season with the Vulcans. Cal U posted a 3-9-4 overall record and a 1-9-1 mark in the PSAC last year. The Vulcans were picked fifth in the PSAC West preseason poll. The Vulcans return 12 players from last year and introduce 18 newcomers to the roster, including 15 true freshmen. The top three scorers from last season are no longer on the team. The Vulcans boast their most experience on the defensive back line with the return of three upperclassmen—seniors Marcos Garcia, Jr. and Javier Gonzalez-Sanchez and junior Jacob Schwien. Senior Joseph Valeriano has started the first three games between the pipes. He owns a 2.80 GAA and made three saves in the loss to regionally-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. CAL U
Series Record: 0-1
Streak: L-1
Last Meeting: Cal U 3, Daemen 0 | Sept. 10, 2018 | at Amherst, N.Y.
ON THE HORIZON
Daemen returns to conference play Saturday (Sept. 28) when it hosts nationally-ranked Mercy College.
