DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 19, 2024) – The No. 24 Mercy University men's soccer team hosts ECC foe D'Youville University on Saturday, September 21st at 11 a.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, September 21st 11 a.m.
Records: Mercy (3-0-1, 1-0 ECC), D'Youville (1-4, 0-0 ECC)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. D'Youville
Mercy earned a 3-0 win over D'Youville on September 16, 2023.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy opens the 2024 season looking to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in six seasons and qualify for the ECC Championship sixth time in seven seasons under ninth-year head coach Pedro Velazquez. The Mavericks went 9-4-5 last season, advancing to the Semifinals of the ECC Championship. Mercy was picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll and senior Eirik Elvestad was named ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Velazquez and the Mavericks return five of their top seven scorers from last year and return reigning ECC Defensive Player of the Year senior Julian Holland as well as 2022 ECC Defensive Player of the Year graduate student Benjamin Van Buren. Junior Johannes Hanken Tjostheim returns for the Mavericks after being named United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region, D2CCA Second Team All-Region and First Team All-ECC. The junior had 13 goals, four assists, 30 points and four game-winning goals last season. Hanken Tjostheim led the team in goals and points and tied for the ECC lead in goals. Junior Mateo Bacigalupo also returns after posting three goals and four assists in 2023. Holland was also named United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region and D2CCA First Team All-Region a year ago and posted three goals and three assists. Junior Jorgen Krohn-Pettersen and senior Antonio Sas both return after combining for five goals and one assist. Van Buren was named United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region and D2CCA First Team All-Region in 2022 after netting three goals and six points. Senior Martin Penafiel returns after recording a goal and three assists in 2023 and junior Mathias Schilbred-Eriksen is back after being named Third Team All-ECC a year ago. Schilbred-Eriksen dished out four assists in 17 games in 2023. Elvestad is back in goal for the Mavericks after being named ECC Goalkeeper of the Year for the second straight year. The senior went 9-4-5 in goal last season with 63 saves, a .750 save percentage, 1.18 goals-against average and six shutouts. Elvestad recorded his 100th career save last season and set the school record for career shutouts.
Mercy is coming off a 4-0 win over RV West Chester on Wednesday. The Mavericks were led by junior Johannes Hanken Tjostheim who scored two goals and by juniors Santiago Serrano and Hugo Martin who also scored. Senior Julian Holland had a game-high three assists and senior Eirik Elvestad made three saves to post his fourth straight shutout. Hanken Tjostheim was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday and graduate student Benjamin Van Buren was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week. Elvestad was named to the Honor Roll. Elvestad was named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week last week. Hanken Tjostheim has a team-high eight goals and 16 points on the year and Bacigalupo has a goal and three points. Sophomore Marcel Duffau, senior Juan Jose Alvarez Acosta and junior Mathias Schilbred-Eriksen all have an assist on the year and senior Martin Penafiel has two assists. Martin and Serrano each have a goal on the year and Elvestad is 3-0-1 in goal with 21 saves, a 0.00 goals-against average and 1.000 save percentage with four shutouts. With another shutout the Mavericks would set a school-record with their fifth straight shutout. Mercy looks to improve to 4-0 all-time against D'Youville. The Mavericks were receiving votes nationally in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll and were ranked third in the East Region Poll. Mercy looks to continue their best start to a season since 2019 when they started 4-0-1.
Scouting the Saints
D'Youville is coming off a 2-0 win over Pittsburgh at Johnstown on Wednesday. The Saints were picked eighth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 0-13 last season. D'Youville has been led by Shawn Richardson who has a team-high two goals and four points. Frederick Balmforth and Dylan Danch both have a goal and Paulo Carvalho and Finn Savage each have an assist. Matthew Solorio is 1-4 in goal with 14 saves, a .667 save percentage and 1.40 goals against average.
Next Game
Mercy resumes action on Saturday, September 28th when they play at UDC at 3 p.m.
