Women's Soccer Caps Regular Season With Road Games At D'Youville and Mercy This Week

10/23/2023 10:54:00 AM

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

AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen women's soccer team plays two East Coast Conference games this week. The Wildcats travel across town to face D'Youville Tuesday (Oct. 24) and cap the regular season at Mercy on Saturday (Oct. 28).

POST SEASON PICTURE
Daemen enters the final week of the regular season in second place in the ECC standings. The Wildcats have qualified for the six-team ECC Championship tournament and can secure one of the top two seeds and a first round bye with a victory this week. Opening round games of the ECC Championship tournament will take place Nov. 1. The semifinals will be hosted by the top two seeds and take place Nov. 5. The tournament championship will be hosted by the highest remaining seed on Nov. 12. The ECC Tournament champion earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

THE WILDCATS (7-3-3, 5-0-1 ECC)
Daemen is undefeated (8-0-2) over its last eight games, which is the longest unbeaten streak for the Wildcats since opening the 2019 season 6-0-2. The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 27-6 during the unbeaten streak. Daemen played regionally-ranked Roberts Wesleyan to a 0-0 draw and defeated St. Thomas Aquinas 5-1 last week. Nine different players have scored for the Wildcats so far this season. Sophomore Kylie Miranto (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) recorded her second hat trick of the season during the win over STAC and leads the ECC in goals (13) and points (30). She has recorded at least one point in nine of Daemen's 13 games. Freshman Magda Carpenter (Lebanon, Conn,) netted two goals in a win over Molloy--her second multi-goal game of the year--and ranks second on the team in goals (5) and points (12). Senior Brooke Amato (Grand Island, N.Y.) and Tatyjana Scalisi (Williamsville, N.Y.) both scored in the win over STAC and have both totaled two goals and four assists on the year. Sophomore Becca Schultz (Grand Island, N.Y.) has played every minute in goal this season and has allowed just six goals over the last 10 games. Among the ECC leaders, she ranks first in save percentage (.867), second in both total saves (85) and wins (7) and third in goals against average (1.00).

Daemen returns 19 players from last year and welcomes eight newcomers (six freshmen, two transfers) to the 2023 roster. Daemen went 5-1-1 over its final seven games last fall and earned its second-straight bid to the four-team ECC Championship tournament. The Wildcats suffered a 2-0 loss to eventual champion Mercy in the semifinals. Daemen is ranked fourth in the 2023 ECC preseason coaches' poll. Five of the top six scorers return to the fold, including All-ECC selections Alyssa Diaz (Rochester, N.Y.), Tatyjana Scalisi (Williamsville, N.Y.) and Kylie Miranto (North Tonawanda, N.Y.). Diaz, a junior forward/defender, has earned all-conference honors in each of her first two seasons and totaled a team-high seven goals and 16 points last year. Scalisi has also collected All-ECC honors the past two seasons and has totaled nine goals and 28 points over her career. Miranto started 15 of 17 games as freshman last year and ranked second on the team in goals (5) and points (11).

WILDCATS CRACK REGIONAL RANKINGS
Daemen has been ranked among the top Division II teams in the East Region by the United Soccer Coaches (USC) the past two weeks. The Wildcats made their debut in the 2023 regional rankings on Oct. 10, marking the first time they have appeared in the regional rankings since the end of the 2019 season. Daemen was ranked No. 9 in the poll released Oct. 17.

THE SAINTS (4-6-3, 3-2-1 ECC)
D'Youville went winless (0-3-2) over its first five games, but the Saints are 4-3-1 over their last eight contests. The Saints clinched their first-ever berth in the ECC Tournament following a 6-2 win over Staten Island this past Saturday. D'Youville went 3-12-1 overall and 1-6-0 in ECC play last year. The Saints were picked seventh in the 2023 ECC preseason coaches' poll. Sophomore midfielder Eleonora Cecchini returns after scoring a team-high four goals and collecting second team All-ECC honors as a freshman last year. Sophomores Laoise O'Haodha (5 gls), Jeslyn-Brooke Vallesteros (2 gls, 3 asts) and Hannah Woodhouse (2 gls, 3 asts) have paced the Saints this season. Sophomore Kailie Regan and freshman Katie Liljenquist have shared the goaltending duties. Liljenquist made six saves in the win over Staten Island on Saturday.

SERIES HISTORY
Tuesday's contest will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the local rivals. Daemen has prevailed in all of the previous six meetings, including a 3-0 win at Karrer Field last year.

THE MAVERICKS (6-4-3, 4-1-2 ECC)
Mercy entered the 2023 season as preseason favorite to repeat as ECC champions, but went just 1-2-2 over their first five games. The Mavericks are 5-2-1 over their last eight contests and are coming off a 6-0 win over Lincoln on Sunday. The Mavericks went 14-3-2 overall (7-0-1 ECC), claimed the ECC Tournament championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament last year. Jack Nicholson takes over as head coach after serving as an assistant coach for the Mavericks the past four seasons. He returns seven all-conference players. Sophomore Ancksu Dixon returns after leading the team in goals (11), assists (11) and points (33) last year and earning ECC Rookie of the Year honors. Senior Kayla Camacho is also back after totaling 11 goals and 27 points last year and collecting All-ECC honors. Dixon has totaled a team-high five goals and two assists this year. Sophomore goaltender Kamy Anaya is back after earning ECC Goalkeeper of the Year as a freshman last year. She has played every minute in goal this year (1.08 GAA) and made five saves in a recent 2-1 win over Southern Connecticut.

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's contest will mark the 12th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and the Mavericks. Mercy has prevailed in 10 of the previous 11 meetings. The teams met twice last year. Mercy posted a 2-0 win at Karrer Field during the regular season and also prevailed 2-0 in the semifinals of the ECC Tournament at Mercy Field.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats have qualified for the ECC Championship. Championship details will be announced next week.

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 women's soccer program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @DaemenWSOC.

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