DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 4, 2024) – The Mercy University men's soccer team opens their 2024 season on Thursday, September 5th when they host East Stroudsburg University at 2:30 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Thursday, September 5th 2:30 p.m.
Records (2023): Mercy (9-4-5), East Stroudsburg (8-3-6)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. (Mercy Field)
Last Meeting vs. East Stroudsburg
Mercy earned a 1-0 win over East Stroudsburg on October 18, 2022.
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. The Mavericks are 4-3 in season openers under Velazquez and Mercy has won eight straight home openers dating back to 2015.
Scouting the Warriors
East Stroudsburg went 8-3-6 last season, just missing out on qualifying for the PSAC Championship. The Warriors were picked fourth in the PSAC East Preseason Poll. Leading the returners for East Stroudsburg is Ignasi Cucurella Tuset who was second on the team last season with 20 points and seven goals. He also had a team-high six assists and one game-winning goal. Nathan Bradway also returns after posting three goals and four assists and Cayetano Diaz is back after netting two goals and an assist. Brayden Evans returns in goal after going 4-0-3 in 2023 with 29 saves, a .829 save percentage and 0.74 goals-against average. Helgi Hermannsson is also back after going 3-2-3 with 27 saves, a .711 save percentage and 1.47 goals-against average in eight games.
Next Game
Mercy resumes action on Tuesday, September 10th when they play at Adelphi at 7 p.m.
