SPARKILL, N.Y. - Senior Derek Bartlo (Williamsville, N.Y.) totaled a goal and an assist to lead the Daemen University men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas College this afternoon at Spartan Soccer Field on the STAC campus.

Daemen is unbeaten in its last three games and improved to 4-3-2 overall and 1-2-1 in the East Coast Conference. STAC, which tied Molloy for first place in the preseason ECC coaches' poll, dropped to 4-3-3 overall and remained winless (0-2-2) in league play.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Daemen opened the scoring 20 minutes into the game. Freshman defender Sujan Rajamohan (Spencerport, N.Y.) took a back pass from senior Pontus Lundin (Asmundorp, Sweden) and sent a cross field pass to Bartlo on the right flank. Bartlo tapped a pass to junior Nassim Zahouani (Saint Denis, France) who blasted a shot into the upper left corner from 30 yards out.
• STAC nearly tied the game 10 minutes later when Jorge Umana sent a free kick off the crossbar and Daemen goaltender Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) then made a point blank save off the rebound. The ensuing rebound was then cleared by a Daemen defender.
• STAC posted a 10-6 advantage in shots in the first half and the teams headed to halftime with Daemen leading 1-0.
• The Spartans fired nine shots at the Daemen net over the first 15 minutes of the second half, but it was Daemen that found the back of the net.
• Daemen's second goal came in the 63rd minute following a corner kick by graduate student Carlos España (Madrid, Spain). Barto got his head on the corner, but that attempt was blocked by a defender. Bartlo then got his foot on the loose ball and slipped it past STAC net minder Tabor McDaniels for his third goal the year.
• STAC pressured the Daemen net throughout the remainder of the second half, but the Daemen defense kept the Spartans off the scoreboard.
• The Spartans out shot the Wildcats 16-5 in the second half and the hosts finished with a 26-11 advantage in shots overall. STAC finished with just an 8-7 edge in shots on goal.
• Lerma Escobar, the reining ECC Defensive Player of the Week, turned away eight shots en route to his second shutout in his past three starts. McDaniels was credited with five saves.

GAME NOTES

• Daemen picked up a win in Sparkill for the first time in the history of the all-time series.
• The teams have split the last four meetings and STAC owns a 6-3-0 advantage in the all-time series.
• Daemen ranks first among ECC teams in fewest goals allowed (9), while STAC ranks first in most goals scored (28).
• The Wildcats have limited eight of their nine opponents to one goal of less.

UP NEXT

Daemen returns to non-conference play Wednesday (Oct. 5) when it travels to Erie, Pa. to face Gannon University.

Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
 

Follow the Daemen University men's soccer program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @DaemenMSOC.