Game #11
Daemen Wildcats (6-4-0, 5-0-0 ECC) vs Bridgeport Purple Knights (6-6-0, 1-3-0 ECC)
DATE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16
TIME: 3 p.m.
LOCATION: Bridgeport, Conn. / Knights Field
LIVE STREAMING: Via ECC Sports Network
LIVE STATS: Via Bridgeport Athletics
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. BACK IN ACTION
Daemen resumes their 2021 campaign when they visit the Bridgeport Purple Knights in an East Coast Conference matchup at 3 p.m. Saturday at Knights Field in Bridgeport, Conn. This will be the ninth all-time between the programs and the first since Bridgeport's 1-0 road victory in Amherst, N.Y. on Oct. 5, 2019. Bridgeport leads the all-time series, 7-1-0. This will be Daemen's first contest since a 2-1 victory versus ECC opponent St. Thomas Aquinas on Oct. 9 to improve to 5-0-0 in conference play. Daemen was then set to host Le Moyne this past Wednesday (Oct. 13) to conclude a season-high five-game homestand before the game was postponed. The two teams are working together to find a mutually agreeable date to reschedule this contest. In their victory against STAC on Oct. 9, junior play-makers
Tatyjana Scalisi (Williamsville, N.Y.) and
Faye Panagopoulos (Kenmore, N.Y.) both scored in a contest for the third time this season – and the first time since tallying three-goal performances against Lincoln (Pa.) on Sept. 26. Scalisi scored within the first five minutes of play, unassisted, to give the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead over the Spartans. Then, in the 24th minute, Panagopoulos scored after receiving a pass from freshman defender
Alyssa Diaz (Rochester, N.Y.) and gave Daemen a 2-0 lead before halftime. The Spartans did cut the lead in half when their top scorer, Amandajane Fuchs-White, scored just 10:52 into the second half but the Daemen defense held the Spartan offense to just two total shots and no shots on goal the rest of the contest. Daemen also allowed just two shots on goal, tying for the fewest allowed in a game this season (Sept. 18 at D'Youville.) Junior goalkeeper
Tori DeLappi (Medina, Ohio) recorded one save in the victory in her 10th start of the season (14th of career.)
2. SCORING SENSATIONS
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, 23-6, and have allowed only five goals over the last six contests. Leading the way offensively is junior forward
Tatyjana Scalisi (Williamsville, N.Y.) The Division I Buffalo transfer, as of Oct. 12, is in a four-way tie for the third most goals among ECC players this fall, along with teammate
Faye Panagopoulos (Kenmore, N.Y.) with five tallies. Scalisi was also the first ECC player to reach double-figure points with 14, which is tied for the second highest total among conference players. Scalisi enters Saturday's contest having recorded at least one point in four of the last six games. By scoring against STAC on Oct. 9, Panagopoulos now has seven goals for her Daemen career. The forward already 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. By scoring against Molloy on Oct. 2, Meyer ended a scoring drought since her two-goal performance against Nyack on Sept. 18, 2019. Daemen's contest against Stonehill on Oct. 7 marked Meyer's 60th career appearance wearing the blue-and-white and she now stands two goals away from joining Stranahan, Boyar and Lipinoga in the "10 Goal Club" for her career. Through the first 10 contests in 2021, Daemen has netted 25 goals from 11 different players and 13 players have recorded at least one point (team total of 69.)
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. As of Oct. 14, Mercy and Daemen are tied atop the ECC standings with a 5-0-0 record. Molloy currently has sole possession of third place with a 4-1-0 record and Queens 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 return home to host the Staten Island Dolphins in East Coast Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 23 at 1:30 p.m. at Karrer Field in Amherst, N.Y. This is one of three home contests remaining for Daemen women's soccer plus the pending rescheduled date against Le Moyne.
BRIDGEPORT SCOUTING REPORT
Bridgeport is a member of the East Coast Conference. The Purple Knights saw their 2020 season cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Purple Knights enter Saturday's contest with a 6-6-0 overall record and 1-3-0 in ECC play. This will be Bridgeport's first game action since a 2-1 victory at Wilmington (Del.) on Oct. 12 and are winners in three of their last four contests after a four-game skid in late September. Bridgeport is led by 22-year head coach Magnus Nilerud. Since taking over the program in 1999, Nilerud has recorded 17 seasons with a winning record of .500 or better, including the 2018 season where the Purple Knights hoisted the NCAA Division II National Championship (20-4-1 record.) An eight-time ECC Coach of the Year recipient, the Purple Knights have also qualified for every ECC postseason tournament in Nilerud's tenure and regional or national post season play for twelve of the last thirteen seasons. His record in regional postseason play stands at an impressive 32-9-3 with two Division II ECAC Championships, eight regular season ECC Championships, four ECC tournament Championships, three NCAA Regional titles and the aforementioned NCAA National Championship in 2018. His overall record in NCAA postseason play stands at 23-7-2. Nilerud has coached 132 All-Conference players and, in 2018, Maegen Doyle was named the NCAA D2 National Player of the Year. Prior to coaching, Nilerud was a two-time All-New England Conference selection and played in the Senior Bowl. In their last full season back in 2019, the Purple Knights finished 9-7-3 overall with their campaign ending in the ECC semifinals following a loss via penalty kicks to Molloy that November. The Purple Knights return 11 players from 2019, including forward Andrea Basilicato. The graduate student finished fourth on the team with two goals and is now tied with sophomore defender Evelyn Hammer to lead this category in 2021 (3.) Basilicato also leads the Purple Knights in total assists (9) this fall. Freshmen forwards Kate Thill and Amiah Washington have scored two goals apiece this fall. Collectively, Bridgeport has totaled 13 goals and 38 points. Freshman Clara Karlsson has started in net all 12 of Bridgeport's contests this season, accumulating a 6-6-0 record, a 1.27 goals against average and a .762 save percentage.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. BRIDGEPORT
Series Record: Bridgeport 7-1-0
At Bridgeport: Bridgeport 4-0-0
Last Meeting: Bridgeport 1, Daemen 0 | October 5, 2019 | at Amherst, NY
