Men's Soccer Hosts Former AMC Rivals To Open Season

9/4/2019 11:30:00 AM

GAME INFORMATION & LINKS
Game #1
Daemen Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Malone Pioneers (0-0, 0-0 GMAC)
Thursday, Sept. 5 | 3:30 p.m.
Amherst, N.Y. | Karrer Field
Live Streaming Video (ECC Network)
Live Stats

Game #2
Daemen Wildcats vs. Walsh Cavaliers (0-0, 0-0 GMAC)
Saturday, Sept. 7 | 2 p.m.
Amherst, N.Y. | Karrer Field
Live Stats

FREE KICK
Daemen opens the 2019 season with a pair of home games this week, hosting Great Midwest Athletic Conference members Malone (Thursday, Sept. 5) and Walsh (Saturday, Sept. 7). Both opponents are former members of the American Mideast Conference, the NAIA-affiliated league Daemen was associated with from the early 2000's through 2012. Like Daemen, both Malone and Walsh have since transitioned to NCAA Division II.

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
Daemen opens up at home for the third time in the last four seasons. It marks just the fourth time in the 20-year history of the program that the Wildcats play two straight home games to start a season (previously 2003, 2010, 2016). Daemen posted a 4-3-0 record at home last season, their first season with better than a .500 winning percentage since going 3-0-0 in 2000.

BUILDING BLOCKS
The Wildcats return 11 players to their roster, five of whom 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 also appeared in 30 games over the last two seasons, totaling three goals and two assists.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
The Wildcats' 2019 roster features 14 newcomers, including 10 first-time college players. Transfers David Ramjee (Herkimer CC) and Hilario Muñoz (Presentation College) are expected to immediately bolster Daemen's defense. In the midfield, the Wildcats added NAIA transfer Tron de Freitas (Talladega College) and NCAA Division I transfer Ben Christidis (Niagara University).

MALONE SCOUTING REPORT
Malone is a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and the Pioneers are led by first-year head coach Tim Starr. He takes over for the departed Eric Reed who left to accept an assistant coaching position at UCLA. Starr inherits a program coming off a 6-10-1 season, marking their most victories since a six-win campaign in 2012. The Pioneers' 32-man roster features 23 returning players, including nine who started at least 10 contests in 2018. Senior midfielder Gino Finelli and sophomore defender Patrick Alvarez headline the Pioneer returners. Finelli led the team in goals (5) and points (11), and Alvarez was an honorable mention All-GMAC selection last season. Sophomore goalkeeper Alexandre Durand also returns after making 16 starts with a 1.47 goals against average and .784 save percentage in 2018. Malone has been picked 10th in the GMAC preseason poll.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. MALONE
Series Record: 4-8
Streak: W-1
Last Meeting: Daemen 1, Malone 0 | Sept. 1, 2018 | Canton, Ohio

WALSH SCOUTING REPORT
Walsh is a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, and the Cavaliers are led by head coach Andy Hoggarth who begins his fourth season in that role. Since coming over from Slippery Rock, Hoggarth has guided the Cavaliers to a 20-30-4 overall record. Walsh returns 26 players from their 2018 team that went 7-10-1, including 10 who made double-digit starts. Senior forward/midfielder Dwight Van Dyke headlines the returners. An honorable mention All-GMAC pick last season, Van Dyke led the Cavaliers with 10 goals and 22 points. Senior forward Myles Cornwall (7 gls, 18 pts) and sophomore forward Wesley Burton (4 gls, 10 pts) also return. Together, Van Dyke, Cornwall and Burton accounted for 21 of Walsh's 25 goals in 2018. Sophomore goalkeeper Brett Ekperuoh saw action in 12 contests last season, posting a 1.59 goals against average and a .692 save percentage. The Cavaliers have been picked ninth in the GMAC preseason poll.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. WALSH
Series Record: 1-14
Streak: L-1
Last Meeting: Walsh 4, Daemen 0 | Aug. 30, 2018 | North Canton, Ohio

SPOTLIGHT ON: WILDCATS END DROUGHT VS. WALSH
Freshman Brage Wiik scored on a header in the 73rd minute to lift Daemen to a 2-1 win over Walsh on Sept. 9, 2017. It marked Daemen's first-ever win in the all-time series which dated back to the 2000 season. The two teams had met at least once every season from 2000 to 2011, and Walsh entered the 2017 meeting having won 13 straight in the series. Daemen goalkeeper Jarrett Lecceadone, then a freshman, made three saves to earn his second career victory.

ON THE HORIZON
Daemen hits the road for a pair of non-conference next week, visiting Gannon (Wednesday, Sept. 11) and Findlay (Saturday, Sept. 14).

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