Pamela Cox

Men's Soccer Hosts Gannon Midweek; Opens Conference Play This Weekend

9/12/2023 9:25:00 AM

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

AMHERST, N.Y. – After opening the season with three-straight road games, the Daemen men's soccer team will be home for two games this week. The Wildcats host nationally-ranked Gannon on Wednesday (Sept. 13) at 4 p.m. and then take on Queens College Saturday (Sept. 16) at 1:30 p.m. in the East Coast Conference opener for both teams. Both games will be played at Karrer Field on the campus of The Park School in Amherst, N.Y.

THE WILDCATS
Daemen stands at 1-1-1 on the year. Daemen opened the 2023 season with a 2-1 loss to Walsh and a 3-1 win over Malone during a trip to Ohio. The Wildcats are coming off a 1-1 draw at Saint Michael's this past weekend. Daemen has been 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 scored his first two collegiate goals during the win over Malone and was named ECC Rookie of the Week for his efforts.

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 two games this year and made five saves in the 1-1 tie with Saint Michael's.

ROAD WARRIORS
After this week the Wildcats will play seven of their final 10 games on the road.

THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Gannon is a NCAA Division II member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Gannon is ranked No. 9 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Division II national poll and stands at 4-0-0 on the year following wins over Georgian Court (3-2), Goldey-Beacom (3-1), Ashland (3-1) and regionally-ranked Wilmington (2-1). Head coach Billy Colton is entering his fifth season at Gannon. The 2019 PSAC West Coach of the Year, he led the Golden Knights to the NCAA Division II Tournament in 2019 and 2021. The Golden Knights went 13-5-2 overall (6-2-2 PSAC) and advanced to the semifinals of the PSAC Tournament last year. They were tied with Mercyhurst atop the 2023 PSAC West Division preseason poll. A total of 35 players return from last year, including four of the team's top five scorers from last year. Sophomore Sverre Orten returns after totaling five goals and seven assists and earning first-team All-PSAC as a rookie. Sophomore defender Pau Ferrer also returns after earning first-team All-PSAC and PSAC Rookie of the Year honors last year. Sophomore goalkeeper Samuel Alarcon is back after starting 11 games and posting a 1.36 goals-against average and four shutouts last year.

SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday's contest will mark the 10th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and the Golden Knights. Gannon has prevailed in the last four meetings and owns a 7-2-0 advantage in the all-time series. Gannon posted a 5-1 victory over the Wildcats last year in Erie, Pa.

THE KNIGHTS
Queens returns just 12 players from last year and welcomes 22 newcomers (11 freshmen, 10 transfers) to the 2023 roster. The Knights stand at 0-2-1 on the year, with the two losses coming against nationally-ranked opponents. QC opened the year with a 3-0 loss to No. 1 ranked Franklin Pierce, before playing Felician to a 1-1 draw. They suffered a 1-0 loss to #10 Southern New Hampshire this past weekend and hosts regionally-ranked Southern Connecticut on Wednesday before taking on the Wildcats Saturday. Frank Vertullo, a former NJCAA National Champion head coach, is entering his sixth season as head coach. The Knights went 13-7-0 overall (6-2-0 in the ECC) last year and made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament. They were picked second in the 2023 ECC preseason poll. Senior Adolfo Martinez Paquet returns after totaling a team-high 11 goals and 24 points last year and earning first-team All-ECC honors. Jake Balme, a sophomore transfer from Lincoln Memorial University, has started all three games in net and owns a 1.67 goals against average. He made four saves in the loss to SNHU.

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's contest will mark the 10th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and the Knights. Queens has prevailed in three of the last four meetings and owns a 7-2-0 advantage in the all-time series. Queens posted a 3-0 victory over the Wildcats last year in Flushing, N.Y.

UP NEXT
Daemen plays two games next week. The Wildcats travel to Slippery Rock on Wednesday (Sept. 20) for a non-conference game and host Staten Island Saturday (Sept. 23) in a conference tilt. Saturday's game time is 1:30 p.m. 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 men's soccer program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @DaemenMSOC.

Print Friendly Version