Geoff Schneider

Women's Soccer Travels To Bluefield State Wednesday, Hosts Molloy Saturday

10/3/2023 4:28:00 PM

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

AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen women's soccer team travels to West Virginia for a midweek matinee at Bluefield State on Wednesday and hosts Molloy in an East Coast Conference game Saturday at Karrer Field.

THE WILDCATS
Daemen is undefeated (4-0-1) over its last five games and has outscored its opponents 15-2 over that stretch. The Wildcats stand at 4-3-1 overall and 3-0-0 in the ECC, having posted league wins over Queens (1-0), Staten Island (6-1) and Lincoln (5-0). Eight different players have scored for the Wildcats so far this season. Sophomore Kylie Miranto (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) recorded her first career hat trick in the win over Lincoln and leads the ECC in goals (8) and points (17). Freshman Magda Carpenter (Lebanon, Conn,) scored her first collegiate goal in the loss to third-ranked Saint Rose and netted two goals in the win over CSI. Sophomore Becca Schultz (Grand Island, N.Y.) has played every minute in goal thus far and is averaging six saves per game. She leads the ECC in save percentage (.852) and made a career-high 12 saves in a 1-1 tie at Chestnut Hill.

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 College 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).

MORE HONORS FOR MIRANTO
Sophomores Kylie Miranto (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) was once again honored by the East Coast Conference for her play last week. Miranto was selected the ECC Women's Soccer Co-Offensive Player of the Week, marking the second-straight week she has collected the honor.

THE BIG BLUE
Bluefield State is a NCAA Division II independent in women's soccer. BSU started women's soccer in 2021. The Big Blue stand at 2-5-0 on the year and will be playing their first game since suffering a 1-0 loss to Emory & Henry College on Sept. 27. Bluefield State went 7-7-3 last season and head coach Scott Forster returns 18 players from that team and welcomes 13 newcomers (11 freshmen, 2 transfers). Junior midfielder Ava Jakich-Kunze totaled three goals and nine points last year, while senior defender Kira Zoeller added four goals and nine points. Sophomore goalkeeper Rylee Truslow returns after starting 16 games last year. She has started all seven games this season and made 10 saves in a 2-1 loss to Shaw.

SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday's contest will mark the first ever meeting between the Wildcats and the Big Blue.

THE LIONS
Molloy stands at 3-2-4 overall (2-0-1 in the ECC) and is ranked 10th the East Region by the United Soccer Coaches. The Lions played to a 1-1 draw with regionally-ranked Roberts Wesleyan on Sept. 26 and host Georgian Court on Wednesday (Oct. 4) before taking on Daemen on Saturday. Molloy went 12-4-3 overall (7-1-0 ECC) last year and lost to Mercy on penalty kicks in the championship game of the ECC Tournament. The Lions were picked second in the 2023 ECC preseason coaches' poll. Head coach Steve Price is in his seventh season at Molloy. He returns 13 players from last year's team and welcomes five freshmen and eight total newcomers. All-conference selections Shannon Kilian, Mikaela Barriga, Joanna Mauceri, Sarah Tappeto, Natalia Piotrowski and Jackie Murphy all return. Tappeto led the nation in assists (17) last year, while Barriga tied for the team-lead in goals (7). Graduate transfer Caitlin Kennedy has totaled a team-high five goals and 12 points so far this season, while sophomore Olivia Igenito has added five goals and 10 points. Kilian returns in goal after starting all 19 games last year and posting nine shutouts. Freshman Elyse Muñoz has started six games in net this season and made a season-high nine saves in an early season 1-0 loss to Adelphi.

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's contest will mark the 10th all-time meeting between Daemen and Molloy. Molloy has prevailed in four of the last six meetings and the Lions own a 6-3-0 advantage in the all-time series. Molloy posted a 4-0 win over the Wildcats last year on Long Island.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats host nationally-ranked Adelphi University in a non-conference match Wednesday (Oct. 11) at Karrer Field.

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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