Game #3
Daemen Wildcats (0-2-0, 0-0-0 ECC) vs Mercyhurst Lakers (1-1-0, 0-1-0 PSAC)
DATE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
TIME: 3 p.m.
LOCATION: Williamsville, N.Y. / Williamsville South HS
LIVE STREAM BROADCAST: Via ECC Sports Network
LIVE STATS: Via Daemen Athletics

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. BACK IN ACTION
Daemen resumes their traditional 16-game schedule in front of their faithful followers when they host Mercyhurst Lakers at 3:00 on the campus of Williamsville South High School in Williamsville, NY. This is the first of nine home contests scheduled for Daemen this fall. This is the first meeting between the programs since the Lakers secured a 3-0 victory over the Wildcats on Sept. 18, 2018 in a contest held in Erie, Pa. Daemen is still searching for their first victory in this series which started on Oct. 17, 2007.
 
2. LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats return to the friendly confines of Western New York searching for their first win of 2021 following a 2-0 loss to Wilmington (Del.) on Sept. 2 and a 3-1 loss to Goldey-Beacom on Sept. 4. In both contests, Daemen found themselves in tight defensive matchups in the early stages of the first half before their opponents struck first. But after trailing 2-0 at halftime against GBC, Daemen recorded their first goal of the season. In the 65th minute, freshman Alyssa Diaz (Rochester, N.Y.) netted the first goal of her career in the blue-and-white following a cross pass from junior Faye Panagopoulos (Kenmore, N.Y.) Including her goal, Diaz had a team-high two shots on goal for Daemen. By scoring, Diaz became the first Daemen freshman to score in a contest since Madita Zeitz (Malsch, Germany) recorded the Wildcats' final goal in the 72nd minute of a 5-0 victory versus D'Youville on April 17, 2021. Junior goalkeeper Tori DeLappi (Medina, Ohio) started in both contests for the Wildcats this past weekend and recorded a combined 13 saves, including seven stops against Wilmington (Del.) This is the first time Daemen has allowed multiple goals in consecutive contests since their last two meetings against St. Rose – a 4-0 loss in the NCAA Division II Championships East Regional on November 22, 2019 and a 2-0 loss on March 27, 2021, the first game of an abbreviated 2020 schedule that was postponed to spring 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols.

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. POLLS, POLLS, POLLS
Daemen women's soccer has been picked to finish fourth in the East Coast Conference 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. The ECC Tournament will feature the top four teams in the final regular season standing 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 hits the road to Manchester, N.H. when they visit the St. Anselm Hawks of the Northeast-10 in a non-conference contest on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 4 PM at Melucci Field.
 

MERCYHURST SCOUTING REPORT
Mercyhurst is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and their 2-1 victory against Davis & Elkins College on Sept. 4 was their first regulation contest in 662 days. The Lakers continued their season with a 2-1 loss to PSAC rival, Edinboro, on Sept. 8. The Lakers are led by fourth-year head coach Jon Arlet and finished 4-1-3 overall record in exhibition play this past spring after their 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols. In 2019, the Lakers finished 11-6-2 overall and 10-6-1 in PSAC play and advanced to the first round of the PSAC Tournament before bowing out to Edinboro. Prior to taking over as head coach in 2018, Arlet spent two seasons as the head coach of Bethany College in Bethany, W. Va. This fall, Mercyhurst returns 18 players and five of their top six scorers from 2019, including top goal-scorer Alyssa Otto, who tallied a team-high 14 goals and 32 points. Cristy Senskey (five goals), Lauren Casey (three goals), Amber Thomas (three goals) and Taryn Baxter (two goals) also return in the scoring department for the Lakers. While veteran Ali Bakowski remains on the roster, as does sophomore Kaitlyn Law, sophomore Maddie Elbro recorded a combined nine saves and a .750 save percentage in the Lakers' first two contests to kick off the season.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. MERCYHURST
Series Record: Mercyhurst 6-0
At Daemen: Mercyhurst 3-0
Last Meeting: Mercyhurst 3, Daemen 0 | Sept. 18, 2018 | at Erie, Pa.