Game #8
Daemen Wildcats (4-3-0, 3-0-0 ECC) vs Molloy Lions (7-1-0, 3-0-0 ECC)
DATE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2
TIME: 1:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Amherst, N.Y. / Karrer Field
LIVE STATS: Via Daemen Athletics
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. BACK IN ACTION
Daemen resumes their 2021 campaign when they host #24 Molloy Lions (United Soccer Coaches) in an East Coast Conference matchup at 1:30 p.m. at Karrer Field in Amherst, N.Y. Saturday is the eighth all-time meeting between the programs. The Lions defeated the Wildcats in their last matchup, 2-1, on October 14, 2019. Molloy leads the all-time series, 5-2-0. Saturday will be Daemen's first contest since their 4-0 victory against long-time rival, Roberts Wesleyan, in the Thruway Rivalry, on Sept. 29. In just her second appearance this season, sophomore forward
Brooke Amato scored in the fifth and 59th minutes to lead Daemen offensively. Senior midfielder
Grace Stranahan (Grand Island, N.Y.) and sophomore midfielder
Madita Zeitz (Malsch, Germany) also scored for the blue-and-white. Junior goalkeeper
Tori DeLappi (Medina, Ohio) recorded five saves in her seventh start of the season. Wednesday was also the veteran's sixth career victory and third career shutout (second this season.) in her 11th career start. Daemen enters Saturday looking for their fourth consecutive win and their fifth in their last six contests. This current three-game stretch is Daemen's longest winning streak as a program since rattling off three in a row from Oct. 29 – Nov. 9, 2019.
2. VETERANS DOING VETERAN THINGS…
Since senior midfielder
Grace Stranahan (Grand Island, N.Y.) scored in the 54th minute of Daemen's 3-1 loss at St. Anselm on Sept. 15, the Wildcats have outscored their opponents, 17-4. Leading the way offensively is junior forward
Tatyjana Scalisi (Williamsville, N.Y.) The reigning ECC Offensive Player of the Week has recorded at least one point in three straight contests and, as of Saturday, is in a four-way tie for the second most goals among ECC players this fall, along with teammate
Faye Panagopoulos (Kenmore, N.Y.) with four tallies. Scalisi was also the first ECC player to reach double-figure points with 12, which is now second best among conference players. Scalisi recently scored three of Daemen's first four goals as part of a seven-point performance in a 9-0 win against Lincoln (Pa.) on Sept. 26. Panagopoulos also had a three-goal performance against the Lions and now has six goals for her Daemen career – four of which came in the last three games alone. The forward now joins current teammates Stranahan,
Brooke Amato (Grand Island, N.Y.),
Sam Hanes (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) and
Katja Meyer (Verona, N.Y.) to score at least five goals during their time at Daemen. By scoring against Roberts Wesleyan on Sept. 29, this was the 10th career goal in Stranahan's career. She is now just the third player to have competed during Daemen's NCAA Division II era (2015 – present) to score at least 10 career goals (Meghan Lipinoga, 10; Jamie Boyar, 55). Stranahan had netted a career-high six goals and totaled 17 points during the 2019 season. Through the first seven contests in 2021, Daemen has netted 19 goals from eight different players and 11 players have recorded at least one point (team total of 52.)
3. RETURNING VETERANS
Daemen returns 17 players who were on the roster for the unorthodox 2020-21 academic year, including 10 who were part of the Wildcats' NCAA tournament team in 2019 when they finished 11-4-3 – the best season in the program's NCAA era (2015 – present.)
Brooke Amato (Grand Island, N.Y.) wrapped up her freshman campaign as the team leader in goals (4) and points (8.) Team MVP
Nicole Grichen (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) and incumbent starters
Katja Meyer (Verona, N.Y.),
Julia Eichel (Grand Island, N.Y.),
Sam Hanes (North Tonawanda, N.Y.),
Grace Stranahan (Grand Island, N.Y.),
Tatyjana Scalisi (Williamsville, N.Y.) and
Madita Zeitz (Malsch, Germany) also return. Goalkeeper
Tori DeLappi (Medina, Ohio) made two starts and three appearances this past spring between the pipes and recorded a 1.00 GAA and a .857 save percentage.
4. CONFERENCE PLAY COMMENCES
For the first time in two years, all East Coast Conference members in women's soccer will return to conference play this fall. Daemen women's soccer has been picked to finish fourth in ECC play this season, according to the league's preseason poll which was released on August 27. Daemen earned 63 total points following their abbreviated spring season. Molloy has been picked to finish second in ECC play with 90 points and received four first place votes. The Lions enter Saturday with a 7-0-1 record following a 3-0 victory over D'Youville on Sept. 29. As of Oct. 1, Mercy remains atop the ECC standings with a 4-0-0 record followed closely behind by Molloy and Daemen, who are tied for second place at 3-0-0 each. St. Thomas Aquinas currently rounds out the top four at 2-2-0. The ECC Tournament will feature the top four teams in the final regular season standings with the No. 1 and 2 seeds hosting semifinal games on Thursday, November 11; the highest remaining seed hosts the tournament finals on Sunday, November 14.
5. ON THE HORIZON
Daemen continues their 2021 campaign when they host the Stonehill Skyhawks of the Northeast-10 in a non-conference contest on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 3 PM at Karrer Field. This marks the third game of a season-high five-game homestand at Karrer Field for Daemen women's soccer.
MOLLOY SCOUTING REPORT
Molloy is a member of the East Coast Conference and is currently ranked #24 in the latest national poll voted by members of the United Soccer Coaches organization on Sept. 28. The Lions saw their 2020 season canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Lions enter Saturday's contest with a 7-1-0 overall record and 3-0-0 in ECC play. Molloy has won their last three contests and have outscored Roberts Wesleyan, Bridgeport and D'Youville by a combined score of 9-0. Their lone loss to date this season came against Caldwell (2-1 in overtime on Sept. 15.) Molloy is led by fourth-year head coach Steve Price. In their last full season back in 2019, Price and the Lions finished 15-5-3 overall, won the East Coast Conference championship (2-0 over New York Tech on Nov. 17, 2019) and advanced to the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship before bowing out to Saint Rose (4-1 loss on Dec. 6, 2019.) Prior to taking over the program in 2017, Price was the first assistant for the women's program from 2010 to 2016. The Lions return 12 players from their historic 2019 team. Junior midfielder Lexi Verni leads the team offensively with six goals and 13 points in 2021. Verni was second on the team in goals (8) in 2019. Junior Sienna Nicolich and sophomore Sarah Tappeto have scored two goals apiece this fall. Senior Dana Poetzsch scored her first goal of the season in the team's 1-0 win over Georgian Court on Sept. 8. The midfielder led the Lions in goals (25) and total points (55) in the 2019 campaign. Senior goalkeeper Jackie Carty has started in all eight contests for Molloy and has an ECC-best seven wins thus far. Carty enters Saturday with a 0.24 GAA and a .941 save percentage – both also conference bests.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. MOLLOY
Series Record: Molloy 5-2-0
At Daemen: Daemen 2-1-0
Last Meeting: Molloy 2, Daemen 1 | October 14, 2019 | at Rockville Centre, NY
