EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University field hockey team played a strong game on Senior Day in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom contest at Schmidt Stadium Saturday afternoon and came out on top with a 5-2 win over Delaware Valley University to clinch a place in the MAC Freedom Semifinals.

Wilkes is now 8-8 overall and 4-2 in MAC Freedom games after winning its fifth straight game. Delaware Valley is 6-10 overall and 1-5 in the conference.

Before the game Wilkes honored its three seniors, Marissa Surdy (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood), Keighlyn Oliver (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Coughlin), and Amanda Thompson (Tannersville, PA/Pocono Mountain East). The Lady Colonels then started quick with a goal 1:27 into the game. After shots by Surdy and sophomore Gianna Gennetts (West Pittston, PA/Wyoming Area) were saved junior Haley Gayoski (Forty Fort, PA/Wyoming Valley West) deflected the ball out of a scramble over to freshman Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) who found the back of the cage. It was the second goal for Kelley on the season and the fourth assist for Gayoski.

Delaware Valley would take the lead 2-1 with goals by Samantha Collyer at the 5:31 and 6:26 marks respectively.

Wilkes would answer with two more goals before the halftime whistle. In the 17^th minute Surdy tied the game with a backhand shot after a pass from freshman Ali Dunn (Pittston, PA/Pittston). The goal was the ninth of the season for Surdy and the 50^th of her career. She is now only one goal shy of tying the school record. The assist was the third of the season for Dunn.

Megan Kane (Kingston, PA/Wyoming Valley West) gave the Lady Colonels the lead in the 30^th minute after a shot by Surdy was saved and Kane knocked the ball out of mid-air into the cage for her sixth goal of the season.

Wilkes added two insurance goals in the second half but not before junior goalkeeper Dallas Kendra (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) made a kick save at the 40:08 mark to keep the lead. In the 50^th minute Gennetts scored her first goal of the season after Kane dribbled into the circle.

In the 52^nd minute Kane scored her second goal of the game and seventh of the season after Surdy took a shot that Kane deflected in at the left side of the goal to put Wilkes ahead 5-2.

Kendra made eight saves and freshmen Zoe Stepanski (Dallas, PA/Dallas) and Kacee Diehl (Hazleton, PA/Hazleton) each made a defensive save for Wilkes.

Wilkes outshot Delaware Valley 21-13 for the game including 12-2 in the second half. Shots on goal were in favor of the Lady Colonels 14-12 and they also led in penalty corners 9-6.

The Lady Colonels close out the regular season with a home contest against Misericordia University at Schmidt Stadium on Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. with seeding in the MAC Freedom Semifinals on the line.