Game #7
Daemen Wildcats (3-3-0, 2-0-0 ECC) vs Roberts Wesleyan Redhawks (0-6-1, 0-2-0 ECC)
DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
TIME: 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Amherst, N.Y. / Karrer Field
LIVE STREAM BROADCAST: Via ECC Sports Network
LIVE STATS: Via Daemen Athletics
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. BACK IN ACTION
Daemen resumes their 2021 campaign when they renew the Thruway Rivalry with long-time rival, Roberts Wesleyan, in an East Coast Conference matchup at 1 p.m. at Karrer Field in Amherst, N.Y. Wednesday is the 25th all-time meeting between the programs. The Redhawks defeated the Wildcats in their last matchup, 1-0, on April 3, 2021. This was part of an unorthodox year where the fall 2020 season was postponed to the spring due to the ongoing COVID-19 protocols. A second meeting between the teams was scheduled for May 2 but was ultimately canceled. Roberts Wesleyan leads the all-time series, 12-8-4. Wednesday will be Daemen's first contest since their 9-0 victory against ECC opponent, Lincoln (Pa.), on Sept. 26, their second straight win. Junior forward
Tatyjana Scalisi (Williamsville, N.Y.) and
Faye Panagopoulos (Kenmore, N.Y.) led the Wildcats offensively by scoring three goals apiece. Scalisi finished with a seven-point performance and was named the ECC Offensive Player of the Week. Other goal scorers included
Alyssa Diaz (Rochester, N.Y.),
Grace Stranahan (Grand Island, N.Y.) and
Lily Williams (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) Junior goaltender
Tori DeLappi (Medina, Ohio) contributed five saves in the first half for Daemen in what was her sixth start of the season.
Megan White (West Seneca, N.Y.) recorded two saves and started the second half.
2. VETERANS DOING VETERAN THINGS...
Daemen's 9-0 victory at Lincoln (Pa.) on Sept. 25 was Daemen's largest margin of victory since a 5-0 win against D'Youville on April 17, 2021 at Karrer Field. 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, 13-4. Leading the way offensively is junior forward
Tatyjana Scalisi (Williamsville, N.Y.) who recorded three of Daemen's first four goals against the Lions as part of a seven-point performance to earn ECC Offensive Player of the Week for games played September 20-26. Entering Wednesday, Scalisi is now in a five-way tie for the most goals among ECC players this fall with four and is the first ECC player to reach double-figure points with 11. Junior classmate
Faye Panagopoulos (Kenmore, N.Y.) also recorded a three-goal outing against the Lions and now has six goals for her Daemen career. Panagopoulos has now scored four goals over Daemen's past two games. The forward now joins current teammates Stranahan plus
Brooke Amato (Grand Island, N.Y.),
Sam Hanes (North Tonawanda, N.Y.)
Katja Meyer (Verona, N.Y.) to score at least five goals during their time at Daemen. Stranahan's goal in the 15th minute at Lincoln (Pa.) marked the second of the season and ninth of her career. With one more goal, Stranahan will become only 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. Through the first six contests in 2021, Daemen has netted 15 goals from seven different players and 10 players have recorded at least one point (team total of 39.)
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. RWC has been picked to finish fifth in ECC play with 59 points and enter Wednesday with a 0-6-1 record following a 2-0 loss versus Mercy on Sept. 25. As of Sept. 28, Mercy remains atop the ECC standings with a 3-0-0 record followed closely behind by Molloy and Daemen, who are tied for second place at 2-0-0 each. Queens currently rounds out the top four at 1-0-0. 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 host the Molloy Lions in an East Coast Conference matchup on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 1:30 PM at Karrer Field.
ROBERTS WESLEYAN SCOUTING REPORT
Roberts Wesleyan is a member of the East Coast Conference. The Redhawks completed an abbreviated 2020 season that was postponed to spring 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and finished with a 4-0-1 record. The Redhawks enter Wednesday's contest with a 0-6-1 overall record and 0-2-0 in ECC play following recent losses against Molloy (4-0 on Sept. 18) and Mercy (2-0 loss on Sept. 25.) Roberts Wesleyan is led by sixth-year head coach Sarah McClellan. In their last full season back in 2019, McClellan and the Redhawks finished 10-6-3 overall and later competed in the NCCAA Championships in December. RWC also finished with a 10-win campaign in McClellan's first season in 2016. Prior to taking over the program, McClellan spent 10 years at Division I Binghamton – the last eight as head coach – and led the Bearcats to the America East Conference tournament five times, including a championship game appearance in 2009. She also led the Bearcats to the conference semifinals twice (2008, 2011.) McClellan enters Wednesday's contest with an 86-112-24 record. The Redhawks return 13 players from this past spring, nine of whom were also members of the program in 2019. Junior forward Olivia Grande and senior defender Makenzie Muoio compile RWC's goals scored so far with one tally each. Sydney Regan, who led the Redhawks in scoring with three goals during the unorthodox spring season, looks for her first goal of the season as does Morgan Razzano. The junior led the Redhawks with eight goals and 19 points in 2019. Sophomore goaltender Nicolette Knauf has started in all seven contests for RWC and searches for her first win of the season. Knauf enters Wednesday with a 1.68 GAA and a .733 save percentage.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. ROBERTS WESLEYAN
Series Record: Roberts Wesleyan 12-8-4
At Daemen: Roberts Wesleyan 7-4-4
Last Meeting: Roberts Wesleyan 1, Daemen 0 | April 3, 2021 | at Rochester, NY
