EDWARDSVILLE – Visiting Delaware Valley University raced out to a 7-3 halftime lead then outscored host Wilkes University 9-2 over the final two quarters on way to a 16-5 victory Wednesday afternoon in the Colonels home season finale.
 
Wilkes falls to 0-14 overall and 0-6 in league play while DVU clinches a spot in next week's MAC Freedom Tournament improving to 8-6 overall and 4-2 in conference contests.
 
Wilkes struck first when Max Brown (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) scored off an assist from JT Weitzel (Hampstead, Md./North Carroll) to give Wilkes a 1-0 lead five minutes into the first quarter. Delaware Valley then went on a 7-0 run over the rest of the opening quarter and most of the second frame to take a 7-1 lead.
 
Nicholas Ruggiero (Califon, NJ/Voorhees) and John Wink (Glenside, Pa./Abington) scored back-to-back goals with under twelve second remaining in the half to give Wilkes some momentum heading to the break down 7-3.
 
After an Aggie goal to start the third quarter, John Butchko (Lehman, Pa/Lake Lehman) notched his first career goal of a Weitzel helper to keep Wilkes within four at 8-4 with 10:49 left in the third. After a Matthew Bush (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Jefferson Twp.) goal (off an assist from Jeremy Kachel (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata)) made it 10-5 Aggies, DVU scored the game's final six goals to secure the road win and a playoff berth in just its second year as a program.
 
Brian Manning (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) made a season-high 21 saves on 63 Delaware Valley shots. Jon Fogarty earned the win in net for DVU collecting five saves.
 
Wilkes concludes its season Saturday playing at FDU-Florham at 11:00 a.m. in Madison, NJ.