DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 30, 2024) – The No. 14 Mercy University men's soccer team plays at ECC foe Molloy University on Wednesday, October 2nd at 7 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, October 2nd 7 p.m.
Records: #14 Mercy (4-0-2, 2-0-1 ECC), Molloy (3-4, 1-0 ECC)
Location: Rockville Centre, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Molloy
Mercy earned a 1-0 win over Molloy on October 14, 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 5-1 win over UDC on Saturday. The Mavericks were led by junior Johannes Hanken Tjostheim who had two goals and an assist and by junior Hugo Martin, sophomore Marcel Duffau and senior Julian Holland who also scored. Hanken Tjostheim and Holland were named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday. Holland was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week last week and Hanken Tjostheim and senior Eirik Elvestad were tabbed to the Honor Roll. Hanken Tjostheim was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on September 16th 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 10 goals and 22 points on the year and Bacigalupo has two goals and five points. Hanken Tjostheim is currently tied for the ECC lead in goals and points. Sophomore Marcel Duffau has a goal and two assists and seniors Juan Jose Alvarez Acosta and Martin Penafiel and junior Mathias Schilbred-Eriksen both have two assists on the year. Martin has two goals, and Serrano has a goal and an assist on the year. Holland has a team-high three assists with one goal and freshman Santiago Dutilh has one assist. Elvestad is 4-0-2 in goal with 30 saves, a 0.33 goals-against average and .938 save percentage with four shutouts. Mercy is ranked No. 14 nationally in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll. The Mavericks are also ranked second in the East Region Poll. Mercy is 10-7-3 in their last 20 meetings against Molloy and are 6-1-1 in their last eight meetings against the Lions.
Scouting the Lions
Molloy is coming off a 3-0 loss at Adelphi on September 24th. The Lions were picked seventh in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 3-11-3 last season. Molloy has been led by Sean Salgueiro who has a team-high four goals and eight points. Steph Maurice has a team-high five assists and Nick Leon has a goal and an assist. Callum Hunt is 3-3 in goal with 29 saves, a .784 save percentage and 1.33 goals-against average.
Next Game
Mercy resumes action on Saturday, October 5th when they host Roberts Wesleyan at 12 p.m.
