Men's Soccer Plays Nationally-Ranked Mercyhurst Under The Lights Wednesday

9/13/2022 2:10:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Tom McDermott, Director of Athletics Communications | tmcdermo@daemen.edu

Game #5
Daemen Wildcats (2-1-1, 0-1-0 ECC) vs. #4 Mercyhurst Lakers (5-0-1, 0-0-0 PSAC)
DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 14
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Erie, Pa. | Saxon Stadium
LIVE STREAM BROADCAST: via PSAC Network
LIVE STATS: via Merchyhurst Athletics

BACK IN ACTION
Daemen hits the road for the first time this season when it heads to Erie, Pa. Wednesday to face nationally-ranked Mercyhurst University. The Wildcats will play seven of their next eight games on the road.

LAST TIME OUT
An unassisted goal by senior Vasco Baptista with less than five minutes to play in the game lifted regionally-ranked Mercy to a 1-0 victory over upset-minded Daemen this past Saturday 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. 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. 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.

RETURNING VETERANS
Daemen returns 20 players from its 2021 roster. Experience is abundant, as the team features four graduate students, nine seniors and five juniors. Daemen had a balanced attack offensively last year, as the team's 21 goals were scored by 11 different players. Veterans Christian Lewin (Bobenheim-Roxheim, Germany), Derek Bartlo (Williamsville, N.Y.) and Dennis Montero Guerrero (Weingarten, Germany) return up front. Lewin ranked second on the team in goals scored (3) last year. Senior Pontus Lundin (Asmundtorp, Sweden) and junior Michel Hölscher (Hamminkeln, Germany) return in the midfield. Lundin has stated 43 games over his career and totaled two goals and five points last year. Hölscher started 11 games last year and netted three goals. The Wildcats return the core of a defensive unit that limited 12 of its 16 opponents to two goals or less last year. Seniors Trey Buscaglia (East Amherst, N.Y.) and Ajan Rajamohan (Spencerport, N.Y.) and junior Alexander Khademi (Stockholm, Sweden) will head up the back line. Graduate student Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) returns between the pipes after starting 15 of 16 games last year. He averaged five saves a game and posted a 1.71 goals against average last fall. He turned away a career-high 12 shots in a season-ending 4-2 win over Queens College. Bartlo and Lundin will serve as team captains in 2022.

THE DEFENSE NEVER RESTS
Daemen has limited each of its first four opponents to just one goal. Graduate student Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) has started three of the four games in goal and made a season-high six saves in the 1-1 tie with Walsh.

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

SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Mercyhurst is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Lakers posted a 12-4-2 overall record and won the PSAC West regular season title last year, but were denied an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Ryan Osborne enters his third season as head coach and was named PSAC West Coach of the Year last year. The Lakers tied for the top spot in the 2022 PSAC West preseason poll. Mercyhurst stands at 5-0-1 on the year and is ranked second in the Atlantic Region and 12th nationally by the United Soccer Coaches. MU has outscored its first six opponents 18-3. The Lakers opened the 2022 season with four straight wins over Goldey Beacom (CC), Georgian Court (CC), Lock Haven (CC) and Ashland (CC), before battling Le Moye to a 1-1 draw. They rebounded with a 3-0 win over Lake Erie College this past Saturday. Sophomores Sean Kerrigan (7 gls, 3 asts), Nic Munch (3 gls, 2 asts) and Dylan Sumner (5 asts) have paced the offense. Graduate student Jonathan Gomes and sophomore Mattias Odelius have shared the goaltending duties. Gomes (0.26 GAA) has started four games and made one save in the win over Lake Erie. Odelius (0.95 GAA) has started two games and made four saves in the win over Ashland.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. MERCYHURST
Series Record: Mercyhurst, 2-0
At Daemen: Mercyhurst, 2-0
At Mercyhurst: 0-0
Last Meeting: Mercyhurst 4, Daemen 1 | Sept. 22, 2021 | at Williamsville, N.Y.

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 men's soccer program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @DaemenMSOC.

Print Friendly Version