Game #14
Daemen Wildcats (4-9-0, 2-5-0 ECC) vs Mercy Mavericks (7-4-2, 3-2-2 ECC)
DATE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30
TIME: 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. / Mercy Field
LIVE STREAM: Via ECC Sports Network
LIVE STATS: Via Mercy Athletics
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. BACK IN ACTION
Daemen continues their 2021 campaign when they visit the Mercy Mavericks in an East Coast Conference matchup at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mercy Field on the campus of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. This will be the eighth meeting between the programs, the first since Mercy's 3-1 victory over Daemen at September 28, 2019 at Karrer Field. This will be Daemen's first contest since a 1-0 victory against ECC newcomer Staten Island on Oct. 23, avoiding a third consecutive loss. For a second consecutive game, senior
Arthur Djengue Bille (Paris, France) got Daemen on the scoreboard first, this goal coming in the eighth minute. In what was his 12th start of the season, senior goalkeeper
Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) recorded four saves and his second shutout of the season in the victory. Daemen is now 4-3-0 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, 20-8, including five shutouts and are 2-7 in their nine contests. The two victories during this stretch were first, a 5-0 victory over Chestnut Hill on Oct.13, ending a stretch of being held scoreless in four consecutive contests and avoid a sixth straight loss; followed by a 1-0 victory over CSI on Oct. 23. Through the first 13 contests, Daemen has scored 15 goals from nine different players while 12 different players have recorded at least one point (team total of 41.) 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) and senior
Arthur Djengue Bille (Paris, France) have all scored two goals apiece. Djengue Bille has scored in each of the last two contests for the Wildcats and has recorded at least one point in three of the last four contests.
Colin Archibald (North Tonawanda, N.Y.),
Anthony Cupello (Rochester, N.Y.), 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 against Chestnut Hill on Oct. 13 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) tied freshman
Vincent Ranieri (Spencerport, N.Y.) for the team lead in assists (2) and together contribute four of Daemen's 11 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. The victory against CSI was Daemen's second shutout win 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. 28, Dist. Columbia has sole possession of first place (5-0-2) while St. Thomas Aquinas has sole possession of second place (5-1-1.) Molloy and Bridgeport are tied for third place (4-2-1) with Roberts Wesleyan currently in fifth (3-1-3.) Daemen is currently tied for seventh in the ECC standings with a 2-5-0 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 Lock Haven Bald Eagles of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in a nonconference matchup on Tuesday, November 2 at 4 p.m. at Hubert Jack Stadium in Lock Haven, Pa. This is the final road contest of the season for Daemen men's soccer. Daemen men's soccer then concludes their 2021 campaign when they host ECC opponent, Queens, for a Senior Day contest at 1:30 PM at Karrer Field.
MERCY SCOUTING REPORT
Mercy is a member of the East Coast Conference. The Mavericks saw their 2020 season cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Their season-opening 1-0 versus American International on Sept. 2 was the program's first game action in 649 days. The Mavericks enter Saturday's contest with a 7-4-2 overall record and 3-2-2 in ECC play. This will be Mercy's first game action since a 4-2 victory over Queens on Oct. 22 and are looking for their fourth consecutive win. Mercy is led by fifth-year head coach Pedro Velazquez, who has an all-time record of 56-21-9. Velazquez led the Mavericks to a 14-4-3 finish in 2019, a season that ended with their most wins in a season since 1986, their first ECC Tournament Championship since 2004, and the program's second straight NCAA appearance. In 2018, Velazquez and the Mavericks won the program's first NCAA tournament game since 1989. Velazquez is no stranger to Dobbs Ferry having served on Chris Smith's staff for five seasons in the early 2010s and played collegiately at Ulster County Community College and then at Mercy. The Mavericks return seven players from the 2019 team and are joined by nine transfer players over the past two years. Senior Archie Jones recorded four goals and five assists in 2019 and is currently third on the team in scoring with four goals in 2021. ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Matthias Kuhn leads the Mavericks entering Saturday with six goals and 13 points. Graduate student forward Pau Echarri is currently second on the team offensively with five goals and 12 points. Collectively, Mercy has recorded 21 goals and 59 points so far in 2021. In net, freshman Eirik Elvestad and graduate student Felipe Baeza have split time this season for the Mavericks. Elvestad has started in six contests, posting a 4-1-1 record, an 0.48 GAA, an .813 save percentage and four shutouts. Baeza has started in seven contests, posting a 3-3-1 record, a 1.37 GAA, a .737 save percentage and two shutouts.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. MERCY
Series Record: Mercy 7-0-0
At Mercy: Mercy 3-0-0
Last Meeting: Mercy 3, Daemen 1| September 28, 2019 | at Amherst, N.Y.
