NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Walsh University defeated Daemen University 5-1 on Thursday at Larry Staudt Field in the season opener for both teams. The Cavaliers took control early, scoring twice in the first half. Walsh then maintained its momentum, adding three goals in the second half.Â
The Wildcats took an early advantage, as sophomore
Selim Ozleplebici (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) scored his first career goal in the first minute, putting the visitors ahead 1-0. Despite several attempts to extend the lead, including a shot by
Joshua Choi (Upland, Calif.) that was saved, the Cavaliers responded quickly with a goal from Noah Huda, leveling the match at 1-1 in the 14th minute.Â
Evan Napier scored in the 25th minute for Walsh, giving it a 2-1 lead heading into halftime, despite a determined effort by Daemen, which included a close attempt from
Larry Noel (Nassau, Bahamas), who struck a shot off the woodwork.
Daemen recorded four shots in the first half, but Walsh's goalkeeper, Nick Bertolini, made key saves to maintain his team's advantage at the half.
The second half began with the Wildcats attempting to close the gap. Despite first-year
Dylan Delaney (Lockport, N.Y.) making a key save, Walsh extended its lead to 4-1 with a goal from Stefan Velickovic's. Daemen's attempts to break through included shots by
Thomas Wikan (Inderøy, Norway) and
Jonathan Lopez-Leblanc (Centennial, Colo.), but Walsh's defense held firm, keeping the final score at 5-1.
Delaney played the full 90 minutes between the pipes for the Wildcats, recording two saves out of ten shots faced in his collegiate debut. Daemen recorded seven shots in the game, with five on target. Walsh logged 10 shots, putting seven on frame.
The Wildcats remain on the road next, taking on Malone at 1 p.m. Saturday.Â
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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.
