Women's Soccer | 11/15/2024 9:00:00 AM
ECC CHAMPIONSHIP - No. 2 Daemen at No. 1 Molloy | Rockville Centre, N.Y. | RVC Sports Complex | Nov. 16 | 12 p.m.
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THE REMATCH
For the second consecutive season, the Daemen University women's soccer team will face Molloy University in the East Coast Conference Women's Soccer title game. Kick-off from RVC Sports Complex is set for 12 p.m. The winner of Saturday's game earns at automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship.
THE BRACKET
LAST YEAR IN THE ECC FINAL
The Wildcats, who were also the second seed last season, fell to the Lions, 2-0, in the 2023 edition of the ECC Women's Soccer Championship. Molloy benefitted from a Daemen miscue to take a 1-0 lead in the 15
th minute of play. Senior Sarah Tappeto sent a ball into the Daemen box from the right corner, and the ball ricocheted off a Daemen defender and into the net. The goal was recorded as an own goal. Daemen had two solid chances to score near the 30 minute mark of the game, but freshman netminder Elyse Muñoz came up with a save on shots by
Brooke Amato (Grand Island, N.Y.) and
Magda Carpenter (Lebanon, Conn.). The Lions took a 1-0 lead into halftime and double their lead just 6:30 into the second half. Again, it was Tappeto who created the scoring opportunity, as she sent a ball towards the Daemen net from the right flank, which was one-timed into the net by sophomore Olivia Ingenito.
Becca Schultz (Grand Island, N.Y.) posted four saves for the Wildcats.
TOP HONORS
The Daemen University women's soccer team landed seven players on the 2024 All-East Coast Conference team. Miranto and sophomore
Magda Carpenter (Lebanon, Conn.) were each both tabbed to the first team for the second consecutive year. Graduate student
Madita Zeitz (Malsch, Germany), seniors
Ramone Trentin (Sãl Leopoldo, Brazil) and
Alyssa Diaz (Rochester, N.Y.) and juniors
Becca Schultz (Grand Island, N.Y.) and
Nevada Hahn (Lancaster, N.Y.) were All-ECC Second Team honorees. The seven total selections are tied with the 2023 and 2021 squads for the most All-ECC selection in a single season in program history.
HISTORY MAKER
Now at 79 career points after her three-point outing against Queens last weekend, Miranto is fourth in program history for career points with 78, passing Janelle Masi who finished her career with 75. Samantha Engel, who played at Daemen from 2010-13, currently sits in third with 103 career points. As for career goals, Miranto currently has 33 which places her three away from Engel for third all-time with 36. So far this season, the junior forward has 12 goals, five of which were game-winners, and 30 total points.
MY KEEPER
Schultz compiled a season to remember in net, ending the regular season with 138 to finish as the conferences leader in total saves Schultz also ended the year ranked third in the nation for total saves and fifth nationally in saves per game with an average of 8.63. Currently, her 147 saves are the most by a Daemen goalkeeper during the Wildcats' NCAA Division II era (2015-present). The Grand Island product has started all 17 games in net for the Blue and White this season, collecting five clean sheets in the process. The junior keeper made a career-high 16 saves on 41 shots against No. 7 ranked Gannon on Oct. 23 and was named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week three times this season, most recently for the week of Oct. 28.
SCOUTING NO. 1 MOLLOY (11-4-2)
The No. 1 seeded Lions squeaked by No. 4 seeded Mercy, 2-1, last weekend with a pair of second half penalty kick goals, courtesy of
Mikaela Barriga and Isabella Muro. Molloy has appeared in the last five ECC Women's Soccer c Championship games, having won the title in 2019, 2021 and 2023. Muro has led the Molloy offense all season with six goals and 16 total points. In net, Elyse Muñoz has started all 17 contests and posted 73 saves to pair with a .91 GAA.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday will be the 13th all-time meeting between the two sides, but just the second in the postseason. Molloy leads the all-time series, which dates back to the 2013 campaign, 8-4, and holds a 1-0 advantage in the postseason series as well. Ealier this year, Molloy defeated Daemen, 1-0, on Oct. 5 in Rockville Centre.
UP NEXT
The winner of Saturday's game earns at automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship. Date, time and opponent for their NCAA Tournament match will be announced at a later date.
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 University women's soccer program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @DaemenWSOC.
