DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 26, 2024) – The No. 25 Mercy University men's soccer team plays at ECC foe University of the District of Columbia on Saturday, September 28th at 3 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, September 28th 3 p.m.
Records: #25 Mercy (3-0-2, 1-0-1 ECC), Dist. Columbia (1-4-2, 0-1 ECC)
Location: Washington, D.C.
Last Meeting vs. UDC
Mercy earned a 1-1 draw against UDC on October 21, 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 1-1 draw against D'Youville on Saturday. The Mavericks were led by junior Mateo Bacigalupo who scored and by junior Johannes Hanken Tjostheim who had an assist. Senior Julian Holland was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday and Hanken Tjostheim and senior Eirik Elvestad were tabbed to the Honor Roll. Hanken Tjostheim was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week last week 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 on September 9th. Hanken Tjostheim has a team-high eight goals and 17 points on the year and Bacigalupo has two goals and five 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 Holland has a team-high three assists. Elvestad is 3-0-2 in goal with 28 saves, a 0.20 goals-against average and .966 save percentage with four shutouts. Mercy is ranked No. 25 nationally in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Mavericks are also ranked third in the East Region Poll. Mercy looks to continue their best start to a season since 2019 when they started 5-0-1. The Mavericks are 8-5-3 in their last 16 meetings against UDC and are 3-0-2 in their last five meetings against the Firebirds.
Scouting the Firebirds
UDC is coming off a 3-1 loss to Jefferson on Tuesday. The Firebirds were picked fourth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 6-7-7 last season, falling in the ECC Championship Final. UDC has been led by Ignacio Pericet who has a team-high two goals and four points. Brandon Johnson has a goal and an assist and Ignacio Lopez has a team-high two assists. Sergio Becerra is 0-3-1 in goal with 19 saves, a .704 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average. Giovanni Llamas is 1-1 in goal with 11 saves, a .688 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average.
Next Game
Mercy resumes action on Wednesday, October 2nd when they play at Molloy at 7 p.m.
