ERIE, Pa. - A goal by sophomore Dylan Sumner with 16:29 left in the second half proved to be the game-winner, as nationally-ranked Mercyhurst University posted a 1-0 victory over upset-minded Daemen University in men's soccer action this evening at Saxon Stadium on the Mercyhurst campus.

Mercyhurst, which entered the game ranked 12th in the United Soccer Coaches Division II poll, improved to 6-0-1. Daemen, which was playing its first road game of the year, fell to 2-2-1.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Mercyhurst posted a 12-0 edge in shots in he first half and the hosts nearly took a 1-0 lead with five minutes left in the first half, but a free kick by Sumner from 30 yards out hit off the left post and the rebound was cleared out of bounds by a Daemen defender.
• Daemen goaltender Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) kept the game scoreless with a nice save early in the second half, as he stopped a point blank shot by sophomore Lockie Fay in the 52nd minute.
• Mercyhurst's game-winner came following a Laker throw in deep in the Daemen end. Sumner took a nice touch pass following the throw in, eluded a Daemen defender and sent a low shot that deflected off Lerma Escobar's hands and just inside the far post.
• Mercyhurst finished with a 24-3 edge in total shots and a 9-2 edge in shots on goal.
• A physical game throughout, it featured a combined 25 fouls and six yellow cards.
• Lerma Escobar registered a season-high for saves (8), while graduate student Jonathan Gomes made two saves for Mercyhurst en route to his third solo shutout of the year.

GAME NOTES

• Tonight's game marked just the fourth all-time meeting between the Wildcats and the Lakers. Mercyhurst has prevailed in all four meetings.
• Daemen has limited each of its first five opponents to just one goal.
• Mercyhurst entered the game averaging three goals per game and had outscored its first six opponents 18-3.

UP NEXT

Daemen returns to East Coast Conference play Saturday (Sept. 17) when it travels to Queens College.

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.