Game #13
Daemen Wildcats (3-9-0, 1-5-0 ECC) vs College of Staten Island Dolphins (3-8-1, 1-4-0 ECC)
DATE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23
TIME: 11 a.m.
LOCATION: Williamsville, N.Y. / Williamsville South High School
LIVE STATS: Via Daemen Athletics
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. BACK IN ACTION
Daemen continues their 2021 campaign when they host the College of Staten Island (CSI) Dolphins in an East Coast Conference matchup at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the athletics complex of Williamsville South High School in Williamsville, N.Y. This will be the inaugural meeting between the programs as CSI is in their first official year as an ECC member in what is their third and final provisionary period. This will be Daemen's first contest since a 3-1 loss hosting nationally-ranked Gannon (Oct. 20) – their seventh loss in their last eight contests. This marked the team's second consecutive loss since a huge 5-0 victory against Chestnut Hill (Oct. 13.) Daemen took an early 1-0 lead against the Golden Knights when senior midfielder
Arthur Djengue Bille (Paris, France) scored his first goal of the season in the fourth minute of play. Gannon, however, responded with a goal in the 13th minute to tie the score at 1-1 at the half and later followed up with two more goals late in the second half from redshirt junior midfielder Sergio Del Castillo. In what was his 11th start of the season, senior goalkeeper
Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) recorded six saves for the Wildcats. Daemen recorded seven shots on goal in the loss, tying their season high for most in a single contest (7 versus Molloy on Oct. 2, 2021.) Daemen is now 3-3-0 this season when scoring first in a contest.
2. LOOKING TO SCORE
Since their 4-1 edging over D'Youville to kick off East Coast Conference play on Sept. 18, Daemen has been outscored by their opponents, 20-7, including five shutouts and are 1-7 in their last eight contests. The lone victory during this stretch was a major scoring outburst for the Wildcats – a 5-0 victory over Chestnut Hill on Oct.13, which ended a stretch of being held scoreless in four consecutive contests and avoid a sixth straight loss. Through the first 12 contests, Daemen has scored 14 goals from nine different players while 12 different players have recorded at least one point (team total of 37.) Junior
Christian Lewin (Bobenheim-Roxheim, Germany) recorded his team-high third goal of the season in the recent victory over the Griffins. Classmates
Derek Bartlo (Williamsville, N.Y.)
Trey Buscaglia (Amherst, N.Y.), and
Pontus Lundin (Asmundtorp, Sweden) have all scored two goals apiece.
Colin Archibald (North Tonawanda, N.Y.),
Anthony Cupello (Rochester, N.Y.),
Arthur Djengue Bille (Paris, France), Michel Holscher (Hamminkeln, Germany) and
Dennis Montero Guerrero (Weingarten, Germany) round out the scoring with one goal apiece. Archibald's goal in the 25th minute ended a scoreless drought of nearly 469 minutes of game action for the Wildcats. With his two-assist day against the Griffins on Oct. 13, senior midfielder
Arthur Djengue Bille (Paris, France) is now tied with freshman
Vincent Ranieri (Spencerport, N.Y.) for the team lead in assists (2) and together contribute four of Daemen's nine assists this season.
The five-goal performance against the Griffins marked Daemen's best offensive game since a 6-1 win over Pitt-Johnstown during the 2017 season and the third time the Wildcats scored at least five goals in a contest in the program's NCAA Division II era (2015-present.) Daemen also improves to 3-0 on the season when scoring at least two goals. Wednesday was the first shutout win for Daemen since a 2-0 edging over D'Youville on April 30, 2021, which concluded their unorthodox 2020 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. Lerma Escobar recently recorded his first career shutout as a Wildcat behind a one-save performance in the team's 5-0 home victory over Chestnut Hill on Oct. 13.
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. 21, Dist. Columbia has sole possession of first place (5-0-1) while St. Thomas Aquinas has sole possession of second place (5-1.) Molloy and Bridgeport are tied for third place (4-2) with Roberts Wesleyan currently in fifth (3-1-1.) Daemen is currently tied for eighth in the ECC standings with a 1-5-0 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 visit the Mercy Mavericks in an East Coast Conference matchup on Saturday, October 30 at 3 p.m. at Mercy Field in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. This is one of two road contests remaining for Daemen men's soccer this season.
COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND SCOUTING REPORT
The College of Staten Island (CSI) is in their first official year as a member of the East Coast Conference in what is their third and final provisionary period. The Dolphins saw their 2020 season cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Dolphins enter Saturday's contest with a 3-8-1 overall record and 1-4-0 in ECC play. This will be CSI's first game action since a 5-1 non-conference loss at Goldey Beacom on Oct. 20. CSI is led by ninth-year head coach John Tardy. Tardy has been responsible for the program's transition from being a member of the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) to the East Coast Conference. Tardy enters Saturday's contest with a lifetime record of 90-72-11 and so far has led the Dolphins to four CUNYAC regular season titles, two Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) titles and has the most wins in program history. Previously, Tardy played two seasons at Clemson University before transferring closer to home and completing his career at St. John's University, where he helped the program win the Big East Championship in 2009. The Dolphins return six players from a 2019 team that finished 10-5-1 overall. Since Tardy took over the program in 2012, the Dolphins have finished above .500 seven times. So far in 2021, freshmen Larry Diggs and Shane Siegel lead the Dolphins with two goals apiece and are in a three-way tie with sophomore midfielder Daniel Angulo for total points (4.) Angulo leads the team in assists (2.) Collectively, CSI has totaled 9 goals and 25 points this season. Freshman Bougary Sissoko has started in net in seven of CSI's 12 contests this season, posting a 3-2-1 record, a 1.01 GAA and an .810 save percentage.
