AMHERST, N.Y. - An unassisted goal by senior Vasco Baptista with less than five minutes to play in the game lifted regionally-ranked Mercy College to a 1-0 victory over upset-minded Daemen University in men's soccer action this afternoon at Karrer Field. It marked the East Coast Conference opener for both teams.

Mercy, which entered the game ranked fourth in the United Soccer Coaches East Region poll, improved to 4-1-1 overall and 1-0-0 in the ECC. Daemen suffered its first loss of the year and fell to 2-1-1 overall and 0-1-0 in the league. The Wildcats are off to their best start since opening the 2010 season 4-1-0.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Neither team registered a shot on goal until the 15 minute mark when a shot by Daemen senior midfielder Christian Lewin (Bobenheim-Roxheim, Germany) forced sophomore goalkeeper Eirik Elvestad to make a save.
• Mercy recorded its lone shot on goal of the first half in the 26th minute when Daemen net minder Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragosa, Spain) stopped a shot by Baptista.
• Mercy would head to halftime with a 6-2 edge in total shots.
• Mercy managed just two shots on goal in the second half, but one would find the back of the Daemen net.
• Baptista's game-winner came at 85:34, as he intercepted a pass by a Wildcat defender deep in the Daemen zone and one-timed a shot past Lerma Escobar into the lower right corner. It marked the first goal of the year for Baptista.
• Mercy finished with a 14-4 edge in total shots, but just a 3-1 edge in shots on goal.
• Lerma Escobar finished with two saves for the Wildcats, while Elvestad was credited with one save for Mercy.

GAME NOTES

• Daemen was picked eighth in the preseason East Coast Conference poll, while Mercy was voted third.
• Today's game marked the ninth all-time meeting between the Wildcats and the Mavericks. Mercy has prevailed in all nine meetings. The last two meetings (and four of the last five) have been decided by just one goal.
• Daemen has limited each of its first four opponents to just one goal.

UP NEXT

Daemen returns to non-conference play Wednesday (Sept. 14) when it travels to Erie, Pa. to face nationally-ranked Mercyhurst 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.