Center Valley, Pa. – The Wilkes University women's soccer team put forth an inspired effort In the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) Championship game at DeSales University, but was unable to convert its opportunities on Saturday afternoon as it fell by a 2-1 final.

The Lady Colonels finished their season 6-11-3 after going 3-3-1 in MAC Freedom play.

Wilkes came out fast to start the game, as the Lady Colonels found a seam for an open opportunity, but the play was offside.

The Bulldogs got on the board first in the sixth minute when Eve Barna found Rachel Shive in the box. With her back to the net, Shive took the pass, turned, and laced a shot into the top left corner of the net to give DeSales a 1-0 lead.

Following the goal, the Lady Colonels gained the momentum in the eighth minute as the Bulldogs were called for a foul, giving Wilkes a free kick left of center about 15 yards out. Freshman midfielder Emily Wirth (Vestal, NY/Vestal) took the kick and put a shot on goal that Hoats was able to keep out but knocked out of bounds. Freshman forward Nicolette Towlen (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) lined a shot wide on the resulting corner kick.

Sophomore forward Micaela Oliverio (Carlisle, PA/Trinity) found herself with no defenders blocking her from Hoats, but lined her shot just wide in the ninth minute.

DeSales regained the momentum towards the midpoint of the half, lining one shot off the crossbar and another that senior goalkeeper Kate Mahoney (Kingston, NH/Central Catholic) was able to knock high and off the crossbar.

In the 36^th minute, the Lady Colonels got their best scoring chance of the half as junior forward Caroline Connor (Penfield, NY/Penfield) was sprung for a one on zero with Hoats, but Hoats made a point blank save on the shot to preserve the 1-0 score. The score would stand going into halftime.

Both teams came out of the half securing a scoring opportunity, with Mahoney making a save in the 51^st minute and Towlen lining a shot high in the 52^nd minute.

The Bulldogs stretched their lead to 2-0 in the 55^th minute when Jess Wetherhold floated a long pass over the defense allowing Angelica Bertola to sprint behind the defenders and line a shot past Mahoney on a breakaway opportunity.

Wilkes generated scoring opportunities with shots in the 63^rd, 67^th, and 69^th minute, with all three going wide right.

The Lady Colonels got on the board in the 76^th minute when senior defender Courtney Krasnomowitz (Hamburg, NJ/Wallkill Valley) recognized an open area in the DeSales defense and pinched up the right sideline, passing to Towlen who then gave it back for a give-and-go that allowed Krasnomowitz to float a shot over the head of Hoats and into the net to cut the deficit to 2-1.

In the 86^th minute, the Bulldogs got another scoring opportunity when  Danni Engwall's shot was denied by Mahoney, keeping Wilkes hopes alive.

In the 88^th minute, senior midfielder Sarah Wasley (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) found Oliverio for a shot that went wide to the right.

In the 90^th minute, a Wilkes pass sent the ball rolling towards Hoats with Towlen in pursuit, but Hoats was able to come out and make a sliding save to knock away Towlen's shot.

Mahoney finished her Lady Colonel career with another phenomenal outing, making seven saves in the game.