DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Mercy University Men's Soccer Team hosts St. Thomas Aquinas College in their ECC opener on Saturday, September 19th at 1 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, September 19th 1 p.m.
Records: Mercy (5-1-1, 0-0 ECC), St. Thomas Aquinas (1-2-2, 0-0 ECC)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. St. Thomas Aquinas
Mercy earned a 4-1 win over STAC on October 22, 2025.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off a 3-0 win over AIC on Wednesday. The Mavericks were led by senior John Hollis who scored two goals and had one assist. Mercy looks to defeat STAC for the third straight year and look to win their ECC opener for the first time since 2024. The Mavericks look to win five games in a row for the first time since 2022. The Mavericks are ranked No. 4 in the latest United Soccer Coaches East Region Poll. Head Coach Pedro Velazquez recorded his 100th career win against AIC on September 16th. Lund-Iversen was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, 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 17 points on eight goals and one assist. He leads the ECC in points and goals. De Roque Zazón has two goals and Hauge has one goal. Seniors John Hollis has a team-high four assists and junior Herman Borke has two assists. Senior Diego Guzmán, juniors Marcos Landivar and Juan Gonzalez and freshman Marvin Spets each have one assist. Graduate student Sean Green is 2-1 in goal with 12 saves, a .750 save percentage and 1.33 goals-against average. Cooke is 2-0-1 with 13 saves, a .867 save percentage and 0.67 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 Spartans
STAC is coming off a 1-1 draw against Monroe on Tuesday. The Spartans went 7-8-2 last season, falling in the ECC Championship Semifinals. STAC was picked fourth in the ECC Preseason Poll. The Spartans have been led by Nico Gallegos who has a team-high three points on a goal and an assist. Zanier Briscoe, Jalen Moni and Sebastian Ortega also have a goal. Dante Muntane is 0-2-1 in goal with 13 saves, a 1.85 goals-against average and .722 save percentage and Luis Hipten is 1-0-1 with 16 saves, a 0.44 goals-against average and .941 save percentage.
Next Game
Mercy plays at Wilmington on Wednesday, September 23rd at 3:30 p.m.
