DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 12, 2023) – The Mercy University men's soccer team plays at American International College on Wednesday, September 13th at 7 p.m.

Who, When and Where

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 13th 7 p.m.

Records: Mercy (2-1-1), American International (0-1-2)

Location: Springfield, Mass.

Last Meeting vs. American International

Mercy earned a 1-0 win over AIC on September 7, 2022 in Dobbs Ferry.

Scouting the Mavericks

The Mavericks are coming off a 1-0 win over Southern Connecticut State 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 was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week last Monday and has a team-high seven points on three goals and one assist. Senior Carlos Fernandes was named to the ECC Honor Roll last Monday and has a team-high three assists. Fernandes scored the game-winning goal in Mercy's win over Southern Connecticut State on Saturday. Bacigalupo has a goal and an assist on the year and Elvestad is 2-1-1 in goal with 13 saves, a .722 save percentage and 1.25 goals-against average. Elvestad was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, freshman Marius Pignat-Larsen was tabbed Rookie of the Week and Fernandes was named to the Honor Roll for the second straight week. 

Scouting the Yellow Jackets

AIC is coming off a 3-2 loss to Bridgeport on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets were picked seventh in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 2-9-5 last season. AIC has been led by Simba Pelletier who has a team-high five points on two goals and one assist and by Manuel Schwarz who has two goals. Guihermano Afonso has a goal and Christian Amaral, Marco Dasso and Gabriele Valerio each have an assist. Lucas Morales-Fernandez is 0-1-2 in goal with 22 saves, a .786 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average.

Next Game

Mercy resumes action on Saturday, September 16th when they play at D'Youville at 2:30 p.m.