DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 29, 2022) – The No. 22 Mercy College men's soccer team plays at ECC foe University of the District of Columbia on Saturday, October 1st at 1 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, October 1st 1 p.m.
Records: No. 22 Mercy (7-2-1, 3-1 ECC), Dist. Columbia (5-4-1, 1-2 ECC)
Location: Maryland SoccerPlex Stadium
Last Meeting vs. UDC
Mercy and UDC played to a 0-0 draw on October 9, 2021.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off a 2-1 loss at Molloy on Saturday. The Mavericks were led by senior David Breitenbach who scored and by senior Vasco Baptista who had an assist. Mercy looks to continue their best start since the 2019 season and their best ECC start since 2019. Mercy is 7-5-2 in their last 14 meetings against UDC dating back to 2005 and are 2-0-1 in their last three meetings against the Firebirds. Mercy is ranked No. 22 nationally in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll. Senior Benjamin Van Buren was named to the ECC Honor Roll last week and has been named ECC Defensive Player of the Week once. Van Buren scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute of Mercy's season-opening win over Saint Rose on August 25th and scored the game-winning goal in the win over D'Youville on Saturday. He has a team-high-tying three goals. Sophomore Luis Silva also has a team-high three goals and has scored all three goals in the last three games. Freshman Nicolás Cerda was named ECC Rookie of the Week on September 6th and has two goals. Breitenbach also has a team-high-tying three goals and freshman Mateo Bacigalupo has one goal on the season, recording the game-winning goal in Mercy's win over New Haven on August 28th. He was named to the ECC Honor Roll on August 29th. Junior Daniel Rodriguez has seven points on the year on two goals and three assists. Junior Carlos Fernandes has a goal and an assist on the year and freshman Mathias Schilbred-Eriksen has a team-high five assists. Sophomore Martin Penafiel also has an assist. Baptista recorded his first collegiate goal in the win over Daemen on September 10th and has a team-high eight points on two goals and four assists. Sophomore Eirik Elvestad is 6-1-1 in goal with 16 saves, a .696 save percentage and 0.93 goals-against average. Freshman Simon Steffensen is 1-1 in net with eight saves, a .727 save percentage and 1.20 goals-against average. Mercy enters the 2022 season looking to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons and qualify for the ECC Championship for the fourth time in five seasons under seventh-year head coach Pedro Velazquez. The Mavericks went 9-5-2 last season and missed qualifying for the ECC Championship due to a tiebreaker. Mercy has posted a winning record in each of Velazquez's five seasons as head coach. The Mavericks are looking to win their first ECC Championship since 2019 and were picked third in the ECC Preseason Poll. Mercy's leading returning scorer is Dalmau who had nine points on four goals and one assist in 2021. Breitenbach also returns after posting two goals and three assists. Penafiel returns after recording two goals and two assists and Van Buren and Kevin Aguilar return on defense.
Scouting the Firebirds
UDC earned a 2-1 win over D'Youville in their last game on Saturday. The Firebirds were picked fourth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 8-5-4 overall last season and 5-1-3 in ECC play. UDC is led by Santiago Gordillo Martinez who has a team-high four goals and eight points. Junior Kenec Elvir and sophomore Ignacio Pericet both have two goals and freshman Axel Gamez has a goal and a team-high four assists. Graduate student Zouhir Warid has a goal and three assists and senior Javier Abadia Torres is 4-3-1 in goal with 35 saves, a 1.13 goals-against average and .778 save percentage.
Next Game
Mercy resumes action on Wednesday, October 5th when they host Southern N.H. at 12 p.m.
