DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Oct. 9, 2023) – The RV Mercy University men's soccer team hosts Wilmington University in a non-conference matchup on Wednesday, October 11th at 2:30 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, October 11th 2:30 p.m.
Records: RV Mercy (6-1-4), Wilmington (4-4-2)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Wilmington
Mercy earned a 3-0 win at Wilmington on September 4, 2010.
Scouting the Mavericks
The Mavericks earned a 1-1 draw at regionally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday. Mercy opens the 2023 season looking to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons and qualify for the ECC Championship for the fifth time in six seasons under eighth-year head coach Pedro Velazquez. The Mavericks went 12-3-5 last season winning their fifth ECC Championship and advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. Mercy returns three of their top five goal scorers and eight student-athletes who started at least 10 matches in 2022. The Mavericks were picked first in the ECC Preseason Poll and return their leading goal scorer from last year in Third Team All-ECC selection junior Luis Silva who had six goals and two assists last season. Second Team All-ECC recipient senior Daniel Rodriguez also returns after starting 19 games last season with four goals and five assists. Sophomore Mateo Bacigalupo returns after scoring three goals in his freshman campaign. Third Team All-ECC honoree junior Martin Penafiel netted two goals and two assists last season and ECC Preseason Defensive Co-Player of the Year junior Eirik Elvestad returns in goal after going 11-2-5 last season with 64 saves, a .790 save percentage and 0.95 goals-against average. He was named ECC Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and All-Region last season. Returning on defense is reigning ECC Rookie of the Year sophomore Mathias Schilbred-Eriksen who had six assists last season. Sophomore Johannes Hanken Tjostheim has been named ECC Offensive Player of the Week three times and has a team-high 19 points on an ECC-best nine goals with one assist. Senior Carlos Fernandes has been named to the ECC Honor Roll three times and is second on the team with 10 points on three goals and a team-high four assists. Fernandes scored the game-winning goal in Mercy's win over Southern Connecticut State on September 9th. Bacigalupo has three goals and three assists on the year and freshman Diego Guzman, sophomore Jorgen Krohn-Pettersen, junior Juan José Alvarez Acosta and Silva also have a goal. Junior Julian Holland has two goals and an assist on the year and was named ECC Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. Graduate student Phillimon Bédard-Khalid and Rodriguez both have three assists and Schilbred-Eriksen, sophomore Nicolás Cerda and Penafiel each have an assist. Elvestad is 6-1-4 in goal with 32 saves, a .780 save percentage and 0.83 goals-against average. The junior has been named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week three times and recorded his 100th career save at Queens on Saturday. Elvestad also now has a school-record 16 career shutouts. Silva was named to the ECC Honor Roll last week after scoring the game-winning goal against Queens. The Mavericks are ranked fourth in the latest United Soccer Coaches East Region poll and are receiving votes nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday. Mercy is 2-1 in their last three meetings against Wilmington, but the two teams haven't played since 2010.
Scouting the Wildcats
Wilmington is coming off a 5-2 win at Dominican on Saturday for their third straight win. The Wildcats were picked second in the CACC Preseason Poll after going 10-5-5 last season, falling in the CACC Semifinals. Wilmington is led by Jeremie Briquet who has a team-high 11 points on a team-high five goals with one assist. Malthe Hannesbo is second on the team with 10 points on four goals and two assists and Sora Noda has six points on two goals and two assists. Diego Ramirez has a team-high three assists and Bas Markus is 1-4-1 in goal with 19 saves, a .679 save percentage and 1.77 goals-against average. Charlie Phillips is 3-0-1 in goal with 16 saves, a .727 save percentage and 1.22 goals-against average.
Next Game
Mercy resumes action on Saturday, October 14th when they host Molloy at 12 p.m.
