Game #10
Daemen Wildcats (2-7-0, 1-4-0 ECC) vs Chestnut Hill Griffins (0-7-3, 0-4-1 CACC)
DATE: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13
TIME: 3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Amherst, N.Y. / Karrer Field
LIVE STREAM: Via ECC Sports Network
LIVE STATS: Via Daemen Athletics
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. BACK IN ACTION
Daemen continues their 2021 campaign when they welcome the Chestnut Hill Griffins of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference for a nonconference matchup at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Karrer Field in Amherst, N.Y. Wednesday marks the first meeting between the programs – and the first time Daemen men's soccer has faced an opponent from the CACC in program history. Wednesday also concludes a season-best four-game homestand for Daemen men's soccer. This will be Daemen's first contest since a 4-0 loss against St. Thomas Aquinas on Oct. 9. Daemen allowed the opening goal in just the third minute of regulation followed by additional scoring plays in the 24th, 44th and 57th minutes of regulation time. Daemen's winless streak has now extended to five consecutive games, a streak which commenced following a 4-1 victory against D'Youville on Sept. 18. The Wildcats were held to just one shot on net in the contest. Graduate student
Jarrett Lecceadone (Randolph, N.Y.) recorded four saves in his season debut in net for the Wildcats after senior
Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) started the first eight contests of 2021. Saturday marked the fifth time Daemen was held scoreless this season – and the fourth time in as many contests.
2. LOOKING TO SCORE
Since their ECC-opening victory against D'Youville on Sept. 18, Daemen men's soccer has been outscored by their opponents, 13-1. The lone goal over the past five contests came in a 4-1 loss versus Mercyhurst on Sept. 22 when junior
Pontus Lundin (Asmundtorp, Sweden) scored in the 13th minute scored via a penalty kick. As part of their five-game winless streak, Daemen has also been held scoreless in each of their last four contests. Through the first nine contests, Daemen has scored eight goals from six different players while nine different players have recorded at least one point (team total of 22.) Juniors
Trey Buscaglia (East Amherst, N.Y.) and
Christian Lewin (Bobenheim-Roxheim, Germany) still lead the Wildcats with two goals each. Buscaglia also leads the team in overall points (5.) Fellow veterans
Derek Bartlo (Williamsville, N.Y.),
Anthony Cupello (Rochester, N.Y.),
Dennis Montero Guerrero (Weingarten, Germany) and Lundin round out the scoring with one goal apiece. Freshman midfielder
Vincent Ranieri (Spencerport, N.Y.) has contributed two of Daemen's six assists so far in the young season.
3. RETURNING VETERANS
Expectations for Daemen men's soccer are high this fall as 26 players from their 2020-21 roster return, many of whom were key contributors for their 3-2-0 finish. Daemen had a balanced attack offensively as nine goals were scored by six different players – and all are returning this fall. Strikers
Dennis Montero Guerrero (Weingarten, Germany) and
Christian Lewin (Bobenheim-Roxheim, Germany) and defender/midfielder Michel Holscher (Hamminkeln, Germany) accounted for six of the team's nine goals. Midfielder
Anthony Cupello (Rochester, N.Y.) finished with a team-high three assists after missing the end of the 2018 season and all of the 2019 campaign while recovering from an injury. Rejoining the Daemen defensive unit is junior
Pontus Lundin (Asmundtorp, Sweden). The Swedish native made a combined 29 starts in 2018 and 2019, and led the team in goals (3) and points (6) during his sophomore campaign. Key veterans
Derek Mancuso (Friendship, N.Y.) and
Jarrett Lecceadone (Randolph, N.Y.) will both compete as graduate students this fall. Senior
Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) joins Lecceadone as a returning goalkeeper. Lerma Escobar, who transferred from Medaille College in spring 2020, recorded his first victory with the blue-and-white when he recorded a career-high 12 saves in Daemen's 3-1 victory versus RWC on April 25.
4. CONFERENCE PLAY COMMENCES
For the first time in two years, all East Coast Conference members in men's soccer returned to conference play this fall. Daemen men's soccer has been picked to finish ninth in the East Coast Conference according to the league's preseason poll which was released on August 26. Daemen earned 24 total points following their abbreviated season. As of Oct. 12, Dist. Columbia has sole possession of first place (4-0-1) while St. Thomas Aquinas and Molloy are tied for second place (4-1-0.) Bridgeport currently sits in fourth at 3-2-0. Daemen is currently ninth in the ECC standings with a 1-4-0 record. 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 Wednesday, Nov. 10; the highest remaining seed hosts the tournament finals on Saturday, Nov. 13.
5. ON THE HORIZON
Daemen continues their 2021 campaign when they hit the road to face the Bridgeport Purple Knights in an East Coast Conference matchup on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 12 p.m. at Knights Field in Bridgeport, Conn. This is Daemen's first road contest since a 1-0 overtime loss at Dist. Columbia in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 25.
CHESTNUT HILL SCOUTING REPORT
Chestnut Hill is a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. The Griffins saw their 2020 season initially postponed to spring 2021 before their three scheduled contests were canceled entirely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Their 3-1 loss at Millersville University on Sept. 2 was the program's first game action since Nov. 8, 2019 (2-1 win over Georgian Court and last win to date in program history.) Chestnut Hill enters Wednesday's contest with an 0-7-3 record and 0-4-1 in CACC play and are coming off a 2-1 loss versus Felician University on Oct. 10. Chestnut Hill is led by first-year head coach Ahmed Elgayar, who was hired this past January. Elgayar previously served as an assistant coach at rival Holy Family University and contributed to a 29-56-6 (23-33-4 CACC) stretch with consecutive postseason berths in 2018 and 2019. Elgayar previously played at Holy Family and led the Tigers to a postseason berth in his senior season in 2013 and scored all of his four collegiate goals that season. Elgayar also finished with nine career assists for a total of 17 points. After graduation, Elgayar played three professional seasons with the Philadelphia Fury (2014-2016) of the, now-defunct, American Soccer League (ASL) and one professional season with the Al Masry Soccer Club of the Egyptian Premier League (2014). In their last full season in 2019, the Griffins finished 5-9-3 overall. The Griffins return five players from 2019, including graduate student and forward Miguel Marra who scored two goals that season and has tallied two more in 2021. Senior midfielder Mustaf Nuredini returns for a senior campaign in 2021 and is looking for his first goal of the season after scoring once in 2019. This fall, freshman forward Andrey McIntyre currently leads the Griffins in goals scored (3) and total points (8.) In net, freshman Mahmoud Mahmoud has started in seven of the Griffins' 10 contests this fall. Mahmoud is searching for his first win of the season but has posted a 1.93 GAA and a .653 save percentage.
