Game #6
Daemen Wildcats (2-2-1, 0-1-0 ECC) vs. Queens Knights (5-2-0, 1-0-0 ECC)
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 17
TIME: 3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Flushing, N.Y. | Varsity Soccer Field
LIVE STREAM BROADCAST: via ECC Network
LIVE STATS: via Queens Athletics
BACK IN ACTION
Daemen returns to East Coast Conference play when it travels to Queens Saturday (Sept. 17). The Wildcats will play six of their next seven games on the road.
LAST TIME OUT
A goal by sophomore Dylan Sumner with 16:29 left in the second half proved to be the game-winner, as nationally-ranked Mercyhurst posted a 1-0 victory over upset-minded Daemen this past Wednesday night 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. 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)
.
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 five opponents to just one goal. Graduate student Marcos Lerma Escobar (Zaragoza, Spain) has started four of the five games in goal and made a season-high eight saves in the 1-0 loss to 12th-ranked Mercyhurst.
ON THE HORIZON
Daemen returns to non-conference play Wednesday (Sept. 21) when it travels to Philadelphia, Pa. to face Chestnut Hill College.
SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS
Queens improved to 5-2-0 following a 3-0 win at 15th-ranked Southern Connecticut State this past Wednesday. The Knights opened the year with a 5-0 loss to nationally-ranked Franklin Pierce, before posting back-to-back wins over Bentley (2-1) and Chestnut Hill (2-1). The Knights then suffered a 3--0 loss at Southern New Hampshire, before defeating Jefferson, 4-1. Queens opened ECC play with a 1-0 win at D'Youville last Saturday. Queens went 8-8-0 overall (3-6-0 ECC) last year. The Knights were picked sixth in the 2022 ECC preseason poll. Sophomore Adolfo Martinez Paquet has scored in four of QC's seven games and scored his team-leading fourth goal of the year Wednesday night against SCSU. Additional offense has come Leo Pinto (2 gls, 1 ast) and freshman Davisd Oprea (2 gls, 1 ast). Oprea netted the game-winner in the 1-0 win over D'Youville. Senior Dario Giovanni Cruz has started all seven games in goal (1.60 GAA) and made a season-high six saves in the season-opening loss to Franklin Pierce.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. QUEENS
Series Record: Queens, 6-2
At Daemen: Queens, 3-1
At Queens: Queens, 3-1
Last Meeting: Daemen 4, Queens 2 | Nov. 6, 2021 | at Amherst, 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.
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