Wildcats Hit The Road For ECC Games At D'Youville And Mercy This Week

10/24/2023 12:10:00 PM

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

AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen men's soccer team plays two East Coast Conference games this week. The Wildcats travel across town to face D'Youville on Wednesday (Oct. 25) and cap the regular season at Mercy on Saturday (Oct. 28).

THE WILDCATS (2-10-1, 1-5-0 ECC)
Daemen suffered a 4-2 loss to Roberts Wesleyan and a 1-0 loss to regionally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas last week. Daemen was picked to finish fifth in the ECC this season according to the ECC preseason poll. It marks the highest preseason ranking for the Wildcats since they first joined the conference in 2013. Daemen enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in program history last fall and closed out the year with a 7-7-3 overall record and a 3-4-1 mark in ECC play. The Wildcats entered the final game of the season in contention for their first ever appearance in the four team ECC Championship tournament. The seven wins tied the program record for most in a season set in 2005, 2006 and 2017. Daemen returns just 13 players from last year and the 2023 roster features 17 newcomers (11 transfers, 6 freshmen). Freshman Elijah Douglas (Clarence, N.Y.) scored his first two collegiate goals during a 3-1 win over Malone and was named ECC Rookie of the Week for his efforts. Douglas has scored a team-high three goals on the year.

Defense was a big factor in Daemen's success last fall, as the Wildcats limited 12 of their 17 opponents to one goal or less and established a NCAA-era record for fewest goals allowed (26) in a season. Graduate student Derek Bartlo (Williamsville, N.Y.) returns in the midfield off a record-breaking season last year. An all-region and all-conference selection, he finished as the team leader in goals (10), assists (4) and points (24). He recorded at least one point in eight of Daemen's final 10 games and established a new program record for most goals and points in a season during Daemen's NCAA era (2015-present). Senior Harry Firth (Reading, England), who saw limited time in his first season with the team last year, and junior college transfer Arturo Bustamante (South Gate, Calif.) have shared the goaltending duties thus far. Bustamante earned All-South Coast Conference honors last year at Rio Hondo College. Firth has started eight games this year and made five saves in a 1-1 tie with Saint Michael's. Bustamante made eight saves in a loss to nationally-ranked Gannon and two saves in a 3-1 win over Staten Island.

CLOSE CALLS
Nine of Daemen's 13 games have been decided by two goals or less and four have been decided by just one goal.

TILO PLAYS FOR NATIONAL TEAM
Jean Tilo missed the Roberts Wesleyan game, as he was back home playing for the Bahamas Senior Men's National Team. He was in the Starting XI for the team's CONCACAF Nations League matches against Antigua and Barbuda last week. Tilo has played in eight games (seven starts) for Daemen in his first season with the Wildcats this fall.

THE SAINTS (0-11-0, 0-6-0 ECC)
D'Youville remained winless on the year following a 4-1 loss to Staten Island this past weekend. D'Youville went 1-14-0 overall (0-8- ECC) last year and was ranked ninth in the 2023 ECC preseason coaches' poll. Freshman Ethan Robinson has scored a team-high two goals this year, while fellow rookie Jake Marks has started all 11 games in goal. Marks made a season-high 14 saves in an early season loss to Lock Haven.

SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday's contest will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the two schools. Daemen has prevailed in each of the previous six meetings, including a 6-1 decision at Williamsville South High School last year.

THE MAVERICKS (8-2-5, 4-0-3 ECC)
Mercy remained unbeaten in ECC play following a 1-1 draw with District of Columbia this past weekend. The Mavericks are ranked fourth in the East Region by the United Soccer Coaches. Mercy went 12-3-5 overall (4-1-3 ECC), claimed the ECC Tournament championship and suffered a loss to Davis & Elkins in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Tournament last year. The Mavericks were picked first in the 2023 ECC preseason coaches' poll. Head coach Pedro Valazquez is in his seventh season at Mercy. Sophomore Johannes Hanken Tjostheim has recorded at least one point in six of the last seven games and has totaled a team-high 11 goals and 24 points. Junior Erik Elvestad has started all 15 games and (1.00 GAA) and made six saves in a recent 1-1 draw with regionally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas.

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's contest will mark the 10th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and the Mavericks. Mercy has prevailed in each of the previous nine meetings, including a 1-0 decision at Karrer Field last year.

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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