Women's Soccer 2019 Season Review

4/14/2020 7:30:00 PM

Head coach Dan Dolan speaks to the Daemen women's soccer team prior to a road game at Mansfield early in the 2019 season

QUICK HITS

The Wildcats posted an 11-4-3 overall record in 2019, marking the most wins of the program's NCAA Division II era (2015-present) and their first season with 10+ wins since 2013.
The Wildcats went 4-2-2 in East Coast Conference play, finishing fifth in the league standings with 14 points - one point shy of a conference tournament berth.
Despite missing the ECC tournament, the Wildcats were awarded an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament - the first in program history - as the #8 seed in the East Regional.
Daemen made its NCAA tournament debut against top-seeded and nationally-ranked St. Rose on November 22, falling 4-0 in Albany.
Daemen's 2019 success included a 5-1-2 home record - the third-straight season they've won five home contests.
The Wildcats allowed just 13 goals in the regular season, a new program benchmark.

SCHEDULE / RESULTS

ROSTER

STATISTICS

ECC STANDINGS

DAN DOLAN // HEAD WOMEN'S SOCCER COACH

Dan Dolan was named the third head coach in the modern history (2000-present) of the Daemen women's soccer program on March 6, 2009.
Now the longest tenured coach in program history, the 2019 season marked Dolan's 11th season at the helm.
Dolan has compiled a record of 99-90-11 since taking the reins, making him the program's all-time leader in coaching victories.
Just one year removed from guiding the Wildcats to the ECC tournament for the first time, Dolan led the Wildcats to an 11-4-3 record and the program's first NCAA tournament berth in 2019.
It marked the program's fifth season with at least 10 wins under Dolan.
In addition to recent successes, Dolan guided the Wildcats to the 2011 American Mideast Conference regular season championship and the 2012 United States Collegiate Athletic Association national championship.

Head Coach Dan Dolan

Coming off a program-record 20-goal season in 2018, senior forward Jamie Boyar picked up where she left off and led an early season offensive explosion. She netted 10 goals in the first five games of the season, including a three-goal "hat trick" in a rout of Nyack.

SEASON-OPENING STREAKS

The Wildcats rattled off five-straight wins at the season's outset marking the best start in program history. Daemen outscored their opponents 24-2 in the season-opening stretch.
Daemen went unbeaten (6-0-2) through their first eight games of the season, matching the program record for longest unbeaten streak which was achieved during the 2011 season.

AMHERST, N.Y. - Six different players scored as Daemen College erupted for a 7-0 victory over visiting Urbana University today in non-conference women's soccer action. The seven-goal difference marks the largest margin of victory for the Wildcats in a season-opening game dating back to the inception of the program in 2000. FULL RECAP
MANSFIELD, Pa. - The Daemen College women's soccer team appears to be an offensive juggernaut early in the 2019 season. The Wildcats moved to 2-0 on the season following today's 4-0 defeat of Mansfield University at the MU Soccer Field. Daemen has won its opening two games for just the fifth time in program history, and for the first time since 2014. FULL RECAP
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's soccer team struck for three second-half goals en route to a 3-1 win over Le Moyne College in a non-conference game today at Ted Grant Field. The win was Daemen's first in the all-time series with Le Moyne, and it pushes the Wildcats to 3-0 on the season. This marks the first time since the program's inception in 2000 that the Wildcats have started a season with three successive wins. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - It's too early to call them a team of destiny, but the Daemen College women's soccer team appears to have something special brewing. The Wildcats raced to their fourth straight win, defeating visiting Goldey-Beacom College 3-1 today at Karrer Field. It marks the first 4-0 start to a season in program history. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - It was another offensive explosion for the Daemen College women's soccer team as senior Jamie Boyar (Williamsville, N.Y.) and junior Katja Meyer (Verona, N.Y.) combined for five goals to lead the Wildcats to a 7-0 victory over visiting Nyack College in non-conference action at Karrer Field today. The Wildcats, who were already off to the best start in program history, improve to 5-0 on the season. It marks just the fourth five-game winning streak in the 20-year history of the program, and the team's longest since a seven-game streak that spanned the final five games of 2012 and the first two of 2013. FULL RECAP
OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's soccer team's five-game winning streak may have gone by the wayside, but the Wildcats remain unbeaten through six contests this season following a 1-1 tie with host New York Tech today. The East Coast Conference season opener for both teams went 110 minutes, but neither team could push one across the goal line through two overtime periods. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's soccer team scored a pair of first-half goals en route to a 2-2 tie in a non-conference contest against Davis & Elkins College at Karrer Field today. It marked Daemen's second straight tie as they ran their record to 5-0-2 this season. The seven-game unbeaten streak matches the second-longest such streak in program history. The visiting Senators moved to 2-2-1 on the season. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - A dominant defensive effort and a timely touch in the box was the recipe for success today as the Daemen College women's soccer team extended their unbeaten streak to eight consecutive games with a 1-0 shutout victory over regionally-ranked Mercy College in an East Coast Conference contest at Karrer Field. FULL RECAP

Freshman forward Alyssa Mercado scored three goals in Daemen's first eight games, including the lone tally in a 1-0 win over Mercy. Mercado ended the season with four goals, three assists and 11 points. She's just the third freshman in Daemen's NCAA Division II era to record at least 10 points in a season.

For the first time in the program's NCAA Division II era, Daemen entered regional rankings conducted by both the United Soccer Coaches and the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee

WILDCATS ENTER REGIONAL RANKINGS

United Soccer Coaches

Sept. 30 - #10 (PRESS RELEASE)
Oct. 7 - #9 (PRESS RELEASE)
Oct. 14 - #9 (PRESS RELEASE)
Oct. 21 - #10 (PRESS RELEASE)

NCAA Regional Advisory Committee

Oct. 31 - #10 (PRESS RELEASE)
Nov. 13 - #8 (PRESS RELEASE)

Junior Maddie Flores saw the bulk of the action among Daemen's goalkeepers in 2019, appearing in and starting 16 games. She compiled a 9-4-3 record with seven shutouts, 80 saves and a 0.99 goals against average.

OCTOBER BRINGS ADVERSITY

Wildcats' season-opening unbeaten streak ends in early October against defending national champion Bridgeport
Daemen goes 2-2-1 over first five October games despite allowing just seven goals

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's soccer team saw its season-opening unbeaten streak come to an end following a 1-0 loss to the University of Bridgeport today at Karrer Field on the campus of The Park School. The host Wildcats suffered their first loss of the year and fell to 6-1-2 overall and 1-1-1 in the East Coast Conference. Bridgeport, which claimed the NCAA Division II national championship last year and was the overwhelming favorite to win the ECC title this year, ran its unbeaten streak to five-straight games and improved to 4-4-1 overall and 3-0-0 in the ECC. FULL RECAP
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - After suffering their first loss of the season this past weekend, the Daemen College women's soccer team bounced back with a 2-1 win today over Shepherd University in a non-conference game at the SU Soccer Complex. Grace Stranahan (Grand Island, N.Y.) recorded a goal and an assist, and Jamie Boyar (Williamsville, N.Y.) netted her fifth game-winning goal of the season to lead the Wildcats. FULL RECAP
FLUSHING, N.Y. - A goal by sophomore Elise Williams (Clarence, N.Y.) with just 1:06 left before halftime proved to be the lone goal of the game, as the Daemen College women's soccer team posted a 1-0 victory over Queens College here today. The Wildcats have now won three of their last four games and improved to 8-1-2 overall and 2-1-1 in the East Coast Conference. Queens dropped to 6-6-0 overall and 0-3-0 in the league. FULL RECAP
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. - Senior forward Jamie Boyar (Williamsville, N.Y.) netted the 50th goal of her career but it wasn't enough to lift the Daemen College women's soccer team past Molloy College in a key East Coast Conference meeting here tonight. The host Lions got a tally from Dana Poetzsch with less than nine minutes remaining to pull out a 2-1 victory, handing the Wildcats just their second loss of the season in the process. FULL RECAP
ALBANY, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's soccer team suffered a 3-1 loss this afternoon to No. 10 College of Saint Rose in a non-conference game at the Plumeri Sports Complex. The loss sends Daemen to 8-3-2 on the season as the Wildcats have dropped consecutive games for the first time since early October of 2018. The highly-touted Golden Knights improved to 10-1-1 on the season. FULL RECAP
AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen College and rival Roberts Wesleyan College battled to a 0-0 double-overtime tie here today in East Coast Conference women's soccer action. Both teams entered the match tied in the ECC standings. Daemen, which is ranked 10th in the latest United Soccer Coaches Division II East Region poll, is now 8-3-3 overall and 2-2-2 in the ECC. Roberts Wesleyan moves to 7-4-2 overall and 2-2-2 in the league. FULL RECAP

After completing a stellar four-year career on Daemen's basketball hardwood, Erin Egan made her presence felt in her first season on the pitch. She played at all three levels of the Wildcats' lineup and finished with four goals, five assists and 13 points.

FINISHING STRONG

The Wildcats emerged from their most difficult stretch of the season to win their final three regular season games
Senior Day is a rousing success as Wildcats light up Lincoln 7-0 ... all five seniors - Jamie Boyar, Lindsay Ciaramella, Erin Egan, Michelle Fiore and Sarah Kenny - score goals in the contest
Boyar notched the 55th goal of her career in the regular season finale at St. Thomas Aquinas, surpassing the program record for career goals (54) established by Kim Walker from 2003-06

CLARION, Pa. - The Daemen College women's soccer team snapped a three-game winless streak following a 2-0 victory over Clarion University here today. Daemen moved to 9-3-3 with the win. Clarion, a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, dropped to 4-10-1. FULL RECAP
WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. - Daemen College scored four times in the first 23 minutes of the game en route to a 7-0 victory over Lincoln University here today in East Coast Conference women's soccer action. Daemen moved to 10-3-3 overall and 3-2-2 in the ECC. Lincoln, which joined the ECC as an associate member last year, dropped to 1-13-0 overall and 0-7-0 in the league. The game was played at Williamsville South High School Stadium due to unplayable field conditions at Karrer Field—Daemen's usual home field. FULL RECAP
SPARKILL, N.Y. - Daemen College got two first-half goals from senior Jamie Boyar (Williamsville, N.Y.) en route to a 2-1 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas College here today in East Coast Conference women's soccer action. It marked the regular-season finale for both teams. Daemen moved to 11-3-3 overall and 4-2-2 in the ECC. STAC dropped to 2-13-2 overall a 1-5-2 in the league. FULL RECAP

Senior midfielder Lindsay Ciaramella led the team (and finished third in the ECC) with 8 assists. She finished her career with six goals, 15 assists and 27 points in 56 games.

GOING TO THE SHOW! WILDCATS PUNCH FIRST-EVER NCAA TOURNAMENT TICKET

Daemen was awarded an at-large bid to the 56-team NCAA tournament, entering as the No. 8 seed in the East Regional
The team gathered at The Den on campus to learn the NCAA tournament field in a selection show broadcast on NCAA.com
The Wildcats learn they're headed to Albany for a rematch with St. Rose, the No. 1 seed in the East Regional

I can't express the feeling right now. I'm just extremely happy to see the pure joy and excitement on the faces of our players. I'm so proud of them. Much gratitude to the committee for seeing our body of work and choosing us an at-large team. Now we need to prepare for St. Rose.

Dan Dolan

The end to a very long Game Day Eve here in Albany. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s events ???? #SURGE pic.twitter.com/vKIPCt7l5j
— Daemen College WSOC (@DaemenWSOC) November 22, 2019

Sophomore midfielder Grace Stranahan enjoyed a breakout season, finishing second on the team in goals (6), assists (5) and points (17)

UPSET-MINDED WILDCATS FALL IN NCAA TOURNAMENT DEBUT

ALBANY, N.Y. - Daemen College saw their season come to an end this evening following a 4-0 loss to the College of St. Rose in opening round action of the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championships. The Wildcats, who earned the No. 8 seed to the NCAA East Regional, could not solve the high-powered Golden Knights, the region's No. 1 seed and also the No. 11 ranked team in the latest Division II national poll from the United Soccer Coaches. FULL RECAP

The play of defenders Sam D'Agostino (ABOVE), Julia Eichel, Madeline Emmi, Serena Uhl and Katja Meyer, as well as goalkeeper Maddie Flores propelled Daemen to record-setting performances in the defensive third this season. The Wildcats pitched a team-record eight shutouts this season, and finished the regular season allowing just 13 goals all season, also a program best.

ECC WEEKLY AWARDS

Jamie Boyar - 2x ECC Player of the Week
Maddie Flores - 1x ECC Defensive Player of the Week
Sam D'Agostino - 1x ECC Defensive Player of the Week
Alyssa Mercado - 3x ECC Rookie of the week

WILDCATS PLACE FOUR ON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's soccer team saw four of its players recognized as the East Coast Conference unveiled its all-conference teams for the 2019 season today. Senior forward Jamie Boyar (Williamsville, N.Y.), senior midfielder Lindsay Ciaramella (St. George, Ont.), junior defender Sam D'Agostino (Mississauga, Ont.) and sophomore midfielder Grace Stranahan (Grand Island, N.Y.) represented the Wildcats, and the four selections marks a team-high since Daemen joined the ECC in 2013. FULL PRESS RELEASE

BEND IT LIKE BOYAR

United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Second Team
Division II Conference Commissioner's Association All-East Region Second Team
United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-East Region Team
2019 Goals: 18 - 2nd in ECC, 12th in Division II
2019 Game-Winning Goals: 7 - 2nd in ECC, 9th in Division II
2019 Points: 37 - 3rd in ECC, 25th in Division II
Career Goals: 55 - 1st in program history, 4th among active Division II players
Career Points: 121 - 2nd in program history, 6th among active Division II players

The 2nd installment of our Daemen at a Distance series features @DaemenWSOC head coach Dan Dolan who discusses the 2019 season, the first NCAA tournament berth in program history & the program’s status in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/DuepEZGfH7 pic.twitter.com/vSUzcJhd5f
— Daemen Wildcats (@DaemenAthletics) April 3, 2020

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