EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University men's soccer team took on Eastern University in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom game Saturday afternoon at Schmidt Stadium and upset the No. 8 team in the United Soccer Coaches Mid-Atlantic Region 1-0 in double overtime on a goal by junior Alvaro Fernandez-Maldonado (Louisville, CO/Scranton).

Wilkes is now 7-8-1 overall and but with today's other MAC Freedom action will not make the conference semifinals. The Colonels are now 2-3-1 in the conference. Eastern fell to 11-4-0 overall and to 4-2-0 in conference games.

The winning goal came with 52 seconds left in double overtime when junior Camry Huff (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro) played a corner kick to the far post. Senior Casey Ritsick (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) headed the ball back into the middle where Fernandez-Maldonado found the end of it to head the ball home for his first career goal. It was the second assist of the season for Ritsick.

Wilkes nearly took the lead in a scoreless first half when sophomore Kyle Bentz (Camp Hill, PA/Camp Hill) played a ball to sophomore Cole Hefner (East Greenville, PA/Southern Lehigh) inside the left side of the box but Hefner's shot that was directed toward the far post was saved by a diving Eagles goalkeeper in the 38^th minute.

Just 2:38 into the second half Wilkes had another good opportunity after a corner kick by Huff made it to the foot of Fernandez-Maldonado but his shot was saved.

Junior goalkeeper Tim Gallagher (Easton, PA/Notre Dame Green Pond) stood tall with nine saves including a big stop on a header with 57 seconds left in regulation time. Gallagher now has six shutouts this season.

The Colonels return to action on Wednesday, October 25 for Senior Night at 7:00 p.m. when they play a non-conference game against Penn College at Schmidt Stadium.