Game #16 vs. Sacred Heart (NEC)
Info: Thursday, November 2; Ted Grant Field; 3:00 p.m. Kickoff
Watch: NEC Front Row ... Live Stats: lemoynedolphins.com
Sacred Heart Links: Schedule | Roster | Stats | News

Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College men's soccer team will play its final game of the 2023 regular season and celebrate Senior Day on Thursday at Ted Grant Field against Sacred Heart University.

The Dolphins will hold a Senior Day ceremony on the field prior to the 3:00 p.m. kickoff. The ceremony and match will be streamed on NEC Front Row.

Le Moyne will recognize two seniors (David Bosak and Noah Sperduto) and five graduate students (Benedict Klimmek, Luca Nicastro, Alessandro Otte, Ben Quigley and Brett Stern) during the pregame ceremony.

Le Moyne most recently suffered a loss at third-place LIU on Sunday. The Sharks and the Dolphins battled through pouring rain on LIU's grass pitch, and a four-goal outing from 2022 NEC Player of the Year Emil Jaaskelainenen lifted LIU to victory.

Le Moyne redshirt-junior defender Jack Goodrich (Kelsall, England/King's School Chester) and freshman forward Felix Ludemann (Wrestedt, Germany/Herzog-Ernst-Gymnasium Uelzen) provided a goal and an assist each for the Dolphins during the setback, while redshirt-sophomore forward Jakob Priestman (Leek, England/Westwood/Missouri State) recorded his first career assist, and sophomore forward Cameron Stuart (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) put away his second goal of the season.

Goodrich's team-best five assists so far this season is tied for the sixth-most among NEC players. Ludemann is currently second on the team in points with three goals and three assists so far in his rookie campaign.

During Le Moyne's last home match, the Dolphins recorded their first shutout of the season by besting Merrimack College by a score of 1-0. Freshman goalkeeper Wyatt Dupell (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) recorded five saves during the 90 minutes to record his first career clean sheet, while Priestman tallied his second goal of the season with the help of an assist from Ludemann.

The Dolphins are 1-1-2 at home this season with conference draws against Stonehill and Saint Francis.

Sacred Heart's Anthony Anzevui served as the interim head coach for the Pioneers during the 2022 season, then was elevated to permanent head coach following the season.

Anzevui led SHU to a 7-9-1 record last season, including a 4-3-1 mark in NEC play which earned them the fourth seed in the conference tournament. The Pioneers bested fifth-seeded Saint Francis in the first round before falling to the eventual champions FDU in the semifinals by a score of 1-0.

Two members of SHU's current squad, midfielder David Garcia Gallego and defender Etienne Murugarren, earned All-NEC Second Team honors in 2022. Garcia Gallego is currently second on SHU in points with three goals and three assists.

Sacred Heart sophomore midfielder/defender Koke Gracia Martinez, who was named to the 2022 NEC All-Rookie Team, has started all 15 games for the Pios in 2023. Senior forward Olliver Persson leads the Pios in points with five goals through 15 appearances and 14 starts.

Sacred Heart graduate goalkeeper Andrew Hammersley, who earned All-NE10 Third Team honors as Stonehill's goalkeeper in 2021, has played every minute in goal this season for the Pioneers.

Hammersley has tallied five shutouts this season, and recorded a season-best seven saves during a 4-1 win over Merrimack on September 24. Hammersley and the SHU defense has recorded three clean sheets during conference play.

SHU outshot FDU by a tally of 15-12 during a 0-0 draw in Teaneck on October 8, then Hammersley recorded three saves during a 2-0 win over Central Connecticut State on October 15.

Most recently, the Pioneers registered a 2-0 win at Howard on October 26. Prior to that victory, SHU suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Saint Francis. Le Moyne recorded a 1-1 draw at home against the Red Flash on October 15.

Both Le Moyne (2-7-6, 2-3-2 NEC) and Sacred Heart (6-7-2, 3-2-2 NEC) have already clinched a spot in the six-team Northeast Conference Tournament, however the result of Thursday's match will have an impact on the tournament's seeding.

If Le Moyne beats Sacred Heart, then they will move above the Pioneers in the standings and claim the fourth seed in the tournament which comes with a home game in the first round on Sunday, but if SHU claims a win or draw then they will hang on to the fourth seed.

Either Merrimack (4-7-3, 2-3-2 NEC) or Central Connecticut State (3-8-3, 1-3-3 NEC), who play each other on Thursday, will claim the final spot in the NEC Tournament.

Le Moyne and Sacred Heart played four games against one another in men's soccer in the 1990s when both athletic departments were members of NCAA Division II.

Sacred Heart bested Le Moyne in their first meeting in 1992 and again in 1993. Le Moyne claimed a 6-0 win over Sacred Heart in 1994, then defeated the Pioneers by a score of 1-0 in 1995.