Geoff Schneider

Wildcats Gear Up for Non-Conference Tilts Against #6 FPU, Roberts Wesleyan

10/13/2026 2:00:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Connor Griffin, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications | cgriffin@daemen.edu

HOME FOR TWO
The Daemen women's soccer team (2-8-3, 2-3-2 ECC) is home for two non-conference games this week. The Wildcats first host nationally ranked Franklin Pierce at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Daemen then squares off against Roberts Wesleyan in a non-ECC contest Friday at 6 p.m. at Royal Park.

LAST TIME OUT
Daemen tied Roberts Wesleyan 0-0 Wednesday in ECC play. Wildcats' goalkeeper Rylee Kumer (Ambridge, Pa.) made seven saves, including four in the second half to keep the Redhawks off the scoreboard. Daemen had six shots and three corner kicks. Taylor Fiegel (Lockport, N.Y.) recorded the Wildcats' lone shot in the first half at 32:50. Daemen made a late push with four shots from 78:31 to 84:10, including saved efforts by Zainab Khalid (Penfield, N.Y.), Kaitlin Mettler (Royalton, N.Y.), and Fiegel. Bridey McKenzie (Amherst, N.Y.) also fired a shot wide in the 78th minute. Kumer made two more saves in the final 13 minutes. The Wildcats then tied Queens 2-2 on Senior Day last Saturday. McKenzie scored Daemen's first goal in the 15th minute. Mettler and Mia Wright (Liverpool, N.Y.) earned assists. The Wildcats expanded their lead to 2-0 in the 29th minute with a goal from Marisa Rickard (North Tonawanda, N.Y.). Mettler and Wright once again assisted. Queens evened the game with two second-half goals. Mettler and Reese Downey (Hamburg, N.Y.) both had shots saved in the opening 20 minutes. DiCarlo ripped one that was saved in the 52nd minute, and Rickard fired one off the crossbar in the 78th minute. Kumer made six saves in 90 minutes.

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Kumer was named to the ECC Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. She logged 13 saves, a 1.00 goals-against average, and an .867 save percentage in two games last week. The keeper made seven saves in a 0-0 tie at Roberts Wesleyan last Wednesday. Kumer recorded three saves in the first half and four in the second to secure her second clean sheet of the season. The junior also stopped six shots in a 2-2 tie against Queens on Saturday.

CAREER FIRSTS
Several Wildcats have logged their first career goals this season. Natalie Krelie's (Bath, N.Y.) goal against D'Youville was the first of her career. Freshman Aliyah Hien (Kenmore, Wash.), McKenzie, and Khalid scored their first career goals in the win over Post University. Wright netted her first career goal against #17 Bentley. Mia Dickens (Boise, Idaho) notched her first point with an assist against Post.

MAKING THE SAVES
Kumer has made 77 saves, leading the ECC and ranking tied for 15th nationally. The junior is averaging 5.82 saves per game, ranking fourth in the conference and tied for 36th nationally. Kumer made seven saves in a clean-sheet draw at Roberts Wesleyan and six in a 2-2 tie against Queens. She stopped eight shots against Molloy and made seven saves against AIC. Kumer logged a career-high 12 saves against Saint Anselm and registered 11 saves at #17 Mercy. She stopped five shots against Tiffin and two in the win over Post. The keeper also made eight stops in the season opener against Malone.

SCOUTING FRANKLIN PIERCE (9-2-1, 4-0-1 NE10)
The Ravens are ranked #6 in the Intercollegiate Women's Soccer Organization for Coaches Poll. FPU is coming off a 1-1 draw at Assumption last Friday after defeating #4 Bentley 1-0 last Tuesday. Alino Martikainen is tied for the team lead in goals (5) and leads the squad in points (13), also having three assists. Camille Berenguer is tied with Martikainen with five goals and also has two assists for 12 points. McKenna Maguire has logged 11 points with four goals and three assists, while Kaitlyn Bautista has a team-high four assists. Goalkeeper Jess LaCroix has played in nine games and made eight starts. She has posted a 6-1-1 record, a .759 save percentage, and a 0.82 goals-against average.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first meeting between the programs.

SCOUTING ROBERTS WESLEYAN (6-2-5, 3-2-1 ECC)
The Redhawks are coming off a 2-0 win at D'Youville last Saturday after tying the Wildcats 0-0 last Wednesday. Sam Cipolla is the team leader in goals (7), assists (3), and points (17). Jenna Northup is second in all three categories with two goals, two assists, and six points. Mackenzie Hagen has also found the back of the net twice. Goalie Rebecca Hoffman has started 10 games, logging a 5-2-3 record, a 0.80 goals-against average, and an .846 save percentage.

SERIES HISTORY
Daemen holds a slight series lead at 14-12-6. The teams played to a 0-0 tie in Rochester during their ECC clash last Wednesday. The Wildcats are unbeaten in the previous eight meetings (6-0-2). Daemen won both contests last season.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats will wrap up the regular season with a non-conference game at D'Youville next Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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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