WASHINGTON, D.C. – The #18 Mercy University Men's Soccer Team plays at ECC foe University of the District of Columbia on Wednesday, October 7th at 2 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, October 7th 2 p.m.
Records: #18 Mercy (8-2-2, 2-1 ECC), District of Columbia (4-5-2, 0-3 ECC)
Location: Washington, D.C.
Last Meeting vs. District of Columbia
Mercy dropped a 1-0 decision to UDC on November 5, 2025.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off a 4-0 win over Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday. The Mavericks were led by senior Jacob Darwesh Lund-Iversen who had a goal and an assist. Mercy is ranked No. 18 nationally in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll and is ranked No. 2 in the latest United Soccer Coaches East Region Poll. Mercy is 9-7-4 all-time against UDC and are 5-2 all-time at UDC. Head Coach Pedro Velazquez recorded his 100th career win against AIC on September 16th. Junior Philip Hauge was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, graduate student Sean Green was named Goalkeeper of the Week and Lund-Iversen and junior Joel Martinez were named to the Honor Roll. Senior Pau Ramon was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week on September 28th and senior Jacob Darwesh Lund-Iversen and graduate student Sean Green were named to the Honor Roll. Hollis and Lund-Iversen were named to the ECC Honor Roll on September 21st. Lund-Iversen was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on September 14th, and senior John Hollis was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Junior Philip Hauge was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week on September 7th, junior Harry Cooke was named Goalkeeper of the Week and Lund-Iversen was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Lund-Iversen was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on August 31st and senior Mario de Roque Zazón was tabbed to the Honor Roll.
The Mavericks have been led by Lund-Iversen who has a team-high 26 points on 11 goals and four assists. He leads the ECC in points and goals. De Roque Zazón has three goals and Hauge has two goals. Senior John Hollis has a team-high eight assists with three goals and junior Herman Borke has three assists. Senior Diego Guzmán, junior Juan Gonzalez and freshman Marvin Spets each have two assists and junior Marcos Landivar has one assist. Dutilh and Lysoe each have one goal on the year and Pau Ramon has a goal and an assist. Martinez has two goals and junior Aalon Wilson-Wright has one goal. Graduate student Sean Green is 4-1-1 in goal with 25 saves, a .833 save percentage and 0.77 goals-against average. Cooke is 4-1-1 with 23 saves, a .767 save percentage and 1.30 goals-against average.
Mercy opens the 2026 season looking to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in eight seasons and qualify for the ECC Championship for the eighth time in nine seasons under Head Coach Pedro Velazquez. The Mavericks went 7-6-5 last season, qualifying for the ECC Championship. Mercy was picked third in the ECC Preseason Poll. Velazquez and the Mavericks look to win their first ECC Championship and qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022. Leading the returners for Velazquez is senior Mario de Roque Zazón who was named Second Team All-ECC last season after playing in 18 games with three goals, five assists, and 11 points. Senior Pau Ramon returns after receiving Third Team All-ECC honors in 2025 after starting all 18 games with three goals, one assist, and seven points. Junior Santiago Dutilh and senior John Hollis return after combining for four goals and four assists a year ago and junior Herman Borke is back after scoring one goal last season. Junior Marcos Landivar had one assist in 10 games last season and junior Juan Gonzalez returns after starting all 18 games last season on defense for the Mavericks. Senior Diego Guzmán and sophomore Erlend Skalstad also return after playing all 18 games last season and graduate students Mathias Joergenrud and Charles Lorenz, juniors Philip Hauge, Nanakofi Boadu, Caleb James, and Estefano Marchiori, and sophomores Henrik Bratli Aanensen, Petter Sommerli Lind, Nicolai Lysoe, and Christopher Nicolas-Martinez also return.
Velazquez also welcomes nine transfers and three freshmen to the team ahead of the 2026 season. Graduate student Sean Green joins Mercy from Lees-McRae College where he went 5-6-4 in goal with 61 saves, a .813 save percentage and 0.92 goals-against average in 2025. Junior Fredrik Balmforth joins the team from D'Youville University where he played in 29 games with two goals in two seasons. Senior Jacob Darwesh Lund-Iversen transfers from Maryville University where he played in 21 games with five goals and two assists in 2025. Junior Nicholas Tellez transfers in from Herkimer Community College and junior Aalon Wilson-Wright comes from Tiffin University where he played in 16 games and scored two goals in 2025. Junior Joel Martinez played at Mount Aloysius College where he recorded 12 goals and 12 assists in 34 games in two seasons. Junior Liam Brandt played two years at Nazareth University and junior Harry Cooke joins Mercy after two seasons at D'Youville. Freshman Dean Yamin started his career at Pace University before coming to Mercy.
The Mavericks also welcome freshmen Marvin Spets, Vicente Klett and Francisco Sanhueza who look to contribute immediately.
Hollis, Guzmán, and Hauge will serve as captains for the Mavericks this season.
Scouting the Firebirds
UDC is coming off a 3-0 loss to Queens on Saturday. The Firebirds went 9-4-4 last season, advancing to the ECC Championship Semifinals. UDC was picked fifth in the ECC Preseason Poll. The Firebirds have been led by Christopher Ruiz who has a team-high three goals and six points. Alexander Moody-Stuart and David Serra both have two goals and one assist. Lorenzo Herrera is 3-5-2 in goal with 54 saves, a .806 save percentage and 1.37 goals-against average.
Next Game
Mercy plays at Staten Island on Saturday, October 10th at 2:30 p.m.
