EDWARDSVILLE, PA – The Wilkes University Men's Soccer team opened up its home schedule with a hard-fought effort but came up short in a 2-1 loss to visiting Marywood University.

The Colonels fell to 0-2 with the loss, while the Pacers improved to 1-0-1 with the win.

Marywood had an early advantage in shots, forcing freshman goalkeeper Tim Gallagher (Easton, PA/Notre Dame Green Pond) to make highlight-reel saves. The Pacers broke through in the 34^th minute, when junior
Matthew Hull stopped his dribble on the left side of the net and shot it into the top-right corner of the net past a diving Gallagher.

Wilkes struck early in the second half, when in the 47^th minute sophomore defender Casey Ritsick (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) launched a penalty kick from just short of midfield and watched it bounce past Pacers goalkeeper Justin Sunseri to tie the score.

The tie didn't last long, as Marywood kept up the pressure on Gallagher until Pacers forward Daniel Hull was able to corral a pass and place a shot past the lower left post, which proved to be the game-winner.

Gallagher made seven saves in the loss but fell to 0-2 with the loss. Sunseri improved to 1-0-1 while making four saves.

The Colonels return to the field on Wednesday when they host Elizabethtown College at Schmidt Stadium for a 7 p.m. non-conference match.