Game #16
Daemen Wildcats (4-11-0, 2-6-0 ECC) vs Queens Knights (8-7-0, 3-5-0 ECC)
DATE: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6
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 concludes their 2021 campaign when they host the Queens Knights for a Senior Day contest at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Karrer Field in Amherst, N.Y. This will be the eighth all-time contest between the programs, the first since a 3-0 Queens victory on Oct. 12, 2019 in Flushing, N.Y. Queens leads the all-time series, 6-1-0, with three of those wins coming in the '716.' This will be Daemen's first contest since a 4-1 loss on the road against Lock Haven on November 2, their fourth loss over their last five contests. After falling into a 2-0 deficit by the 25th minute, Daemen got on the scoreboard at the 27:46 mark, thanks to a penalty kick goal by Michel Holscher (Hamminkeln, Germany) to make the score, 2-1, in favor of Lock Haven by the halftime break. The Bald Eagles then scored two more goals in the 52nd and 76th minutes. This was Daemen's final road contest and nonconference contest of the season. Daemen entered with hopes of bouncing back from a 2-1 double overtime loss at Mercy on Oct. 30. After recording a season-high nine saves in the loss against the Mavericks, senior goalkeeper
Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) recorded four stops in the loss – his 14
th start of the season. The penalty kick goal from Hoslcher marked his fourth career goal with the Wildcats. This was also Daemen's third successfully converted penalty kick goal this season and the program is now 14 for their last 14 penalty kick opportunities. Their last missed penalty kick attempt came against Gannon on Sept. 13, 2016.
2. SENIOR SALUTE
Prior to the start of Saturday's contest, the Daemen men's soccer program will be honoring their nine senior players – seniors
Mateo Astudillo,
Arthur Djengue Bille,
Marcos Lerma Escobar, Hilario Munoz,
Tron De Freitas and Carlos Espana; redshirt senior
Anthony Cupello and graduate students
Jarrett Lecceadone and
Derek Mancuso.
The program's last Senior Day contest on April 25, 2021 was a memorable finish as the Wildcats defeated long-time rival, Roberts Wesleyan, 3-1, at Karrer Field. All three of Daemen's goals were scored before the 30th minute of play and Lerma Escobar produced a 12-save performance – his first career victory with the Wildcats in just his third appearance. This ended a long drought for Daemen as this was their first win against RWC since a 1-0 effort on Sept. 22, 2018. This was the fourth of five contests played by Daemen in Spring 2021 in what was an unorthodox year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Astudillo has served as a defender for Daemen men's soccer for four seasons and will graduate this upcoming May with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry. Astudillo's future plans include continuing on to medical school or working in the biomedical sciences. The Rochester, N.Y. native has appeared in 25 career games for the Wildcats and enters Saturday with one goal (two points) for his Daemen career.
Djengue Bille has served as a midfielder for Daemen men's soccer for two seasons and will graduate this upcoming May with a bachelor's degree in international business. Djengue Bille's future plans including continuing his education in graduate school. The Paris, France native has appeared and started in 15 games with the Wildcats after spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Luther. Djengue Bille has scored all four of his goals at the collegiate level with the Wildcats – three of them coming in 2021. He enters Saturday with four goals and two assists (10 points) for his Daemen career.
Lerma Escobar has served as a goalkeeper for Daemen men's soccer for two seasons and will graduate this upcoming May with a bachelor's degree in business administration with a specialization in international business and marketing. His future plans include staying at Daemen College for graduate school and completing his master of business administration degree. The Zaragoza, Spain native has appeared in 17 games with the Wildcats after spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Division III Medaille College. Entering Saturday, Lerma Escobar has recorded five of his eight career wins with Daemen, a 1.80 goals against average and two shutouts.
Munoz has served as a defender for Daemen men's soccer for three seasons and will graduate this upcoming May with a bachelor's degree in international business. Munoz's future plans include staying at Daemen College for graduate school and completing his master of business administration degree. The Málaga, Spain native has appeared in 24 games, including 18 starts for the Wildcats and has recorded two assists (2 points) for his Daemen career.
De Freitas has served as a midfielder for Daemen men's soccer for three seasons and will graduate this upcoming May with a bachelor's degree in marketing. The San Juan, Trinidad & Tobago native has appeared in 17 games, including 11 starts for the Wildcats, and has recorded four shots on goal for his Daemen career.
Espana has served as a midfielder for Daemen men's soccer for one season and will graduate this upcoming May with a bachelor's degree in international business. Espana's future plans include staying at Daemen College and completing his master of business administration degree. The Madrid, Spain native has appeared in 13 games, including six starts for the Wildcats, after spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Division III Medaille College. For his collegiate career, Espana enters Saturday with 10 goals and seven assists (27 points), all while a member of the Mavericks.
Cupello has served as a midfielder for Daemen men's soccer for five seasons and will graduate this upcoming winter with a bachelor's degree in accounting. Cupello's future plans include a tax internship with EFPR Group and pursuing a master's degree in accounting. The Rochester, N.Y. native has appeared and started in 50 games for the Wildcats. After missing the end of the 2018 season and all of the 2019 campaign while recovering from an injury, Cupello bounced back the past two seasons, including leading the team in assists (3) in the unorthodox 2020 season. Cupello enters Saturday with four goals and 14 assists (22 points) for his Daemen career.
Lecceadone has served as a goalkeeper for Daemen men's soccer for five seasons and is currently in graduate school at Daemen College, pursuing a doctorate of physical therapy and is set to graduate in May 2024. While he is presently uncertain what career path he wants to pursue after completing the program, Lecceadone is considering becoming a physical therapist in the military.
Mancuso has served as a forward for Daemen men's soccer for four seasons and will graduate this upcoming May with a master's degree in special education. Mancuso's future plans include completing graduate school and looking for a teaching job. The Friendship, N.Y. native has appeared in 52 career games, including 29 starts for the Wildcats. Mancuso enters Saturday with one goal and two assists (four points) for his Daemen career.
This fall, Daemen returned 26 players who were on the roster for the unorthodox 2020-21 academic year, many of whom were key contributors for their 3-2-0 finish. Six different players scored nine goals in the abbreviated season and all returned in 2021.
3. 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, 26-10, including five shutouts and six one-goal losses and are 2-9 in their last 11 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 15 contests, Daemen has scored 17 goals from nine different players while 14 different players have recorded at least one point (team total of 46.) Senior
Arthur Djengue Bille (Paris) and Junior
Christian Lewin (Bobenheim-Roxheim, Germany) are tied for the team lead in goals scored (3.) Djengue Bille has scored in three of the last four contests for the Wildcats and has recorded at least one point in five of the last six contests. Fellow veterans
Derek Bartlo (Williamsville, N.Y.)
Trey Buscaglia (Amherst, N.Y.), and
Pontus Lundin (Asmundtorp, Sweden) and sophomore Michel Holscher (Hamminkeln, Germany) have all scored two goals apiece.
Colin Archibald (North Tonawanda, N.Y.),
Anthony Cupello (Rochester, N.Y.), 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, Djengue Bille is now tied with freshman
Vincent Ranieri (Spencerport, N.Y.) for the team lead in assists (2) and together contribute four of Daemen's 12 assists this season. The five-goal performance against the Griffins on Oct. 13 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 Nov. 5, St. Thomas Aquinas has sole possession of first place (6-1-1.) Dist. Columbia has sole possession of second place (5-0-3.) Molloy is in third place (5-2-1) and Mercy and Bridgeport are tied for fourth place (4-2-2) heading into Saturday, the final day of the regular season. Daemen is eighth in the ECC standings with a 2-6-0 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.
QUEENS SCOUTING REPORT
Queens is a member of the East Coast Conference. The Knights saw their 2020 season cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Their season-opening 2-0 victory at Dominican College on Sept. 2 was the program's first game action in 663 days. The Knights enter Saturday's contest with an 8-7-0 overall record (3-5-0 ECC.) This will be Queens' first game action since a 2-0 victory at Georgian Court on November 4. Queens is led by fourth-year head coach Frank Vertullo. Vertullo joined the Queens program in 2017 after spending 10 seasons at Suffolk Community College, where he led the Sharks to their first two NJCAA National Championships in school history. He also coached six seasons at his alma mater, the former Dowling College, from 2001 to 2006, reaching the NCAA Division II National Semifinals four times (2001, 2003, 2004, 2006) and won the school's first men's soccer National Championship in 2006. A three-year captain and four-year starter as a student-athlete at Dowling, Vertullo started in all 73 contests and helped the Golden Lions go 52-18-3 during his four seasons. He was a three-time all-conference selection and was NYCAC Newcomer of the Year in 1997. Dowling and Vertullo made three NCAA Tournament appearances (1997, 1998, 2000) and captured two conference championships (1997, 1998). Queens returns six players from a 2019 team that finished 6-7-3 overall. Under Vertullo, Queens finished 10-4-3 in 2018. So far in 2021, sophomore Nicholas Tagios leads the team with eight goals (fourth most in ECC) and total points (17.) Freshman midfielder Tobias Holtz leads with four assists. Collectively, Queens has totaled 22 goals and 59 points this season. Junior Dario Cruz has appeared in all 15 contests (14 starts), posting an 8-7-0 record, a 1.81 GAA, a .713 save percentage and four shutouts.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. QUEENS
Series Record: Queens 6-1-0
At Daemen: Queens 3-0-0
Last Meeting: Queens 3, Daemen 0 | Oct. 12, 2019 | at Flushing, N.Y.
