PURCHASE, N.Y. – Visiting Wilkes University outscored Manhattanville College 9-5 over the final two quarters rallying back from a first half deficit only to fall short in a 13-12 MAC Freedom defeat Saturday afternoon at Govaliants.com field.
 
Wilkes fell to 4-9 overall and 1-4 in league games while Manhattanville improved to 6-6 overall and 2-3 in MAC Freedom contests.
 
After Matt LaSorsa (Copiague, N.Y./Copiague) scored the opening goal for Wilkes, Manhattanville responded with seven unanswered goals through the rest of the first quarter and into the second frame. Joseph Papa (Edison, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) stopped the Valiant rally with a goal at the 6:18 mark of the second quarter, his first collegiate tally. John Luna (Valley Center, CA/Valley Center) cut the deficit to 8-3 at the break scoring with just six seconds left in the frame.
 
Manhattanville scored the first goal of the third quarter before the Colonels began their furious comeback. Wilkes scored five straight goals to tie the game at 9-9 with 5:08 left in the third quarter. John Wink (Glenside, Pa./Abington) scored first followed by a pair of goals from Luna and another from Wink. JT Weitzel (Hampstead, MD/North Carroll) finished the rally with a goal off an Evan Stolicker (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker) assist. Manhattanville scored the third quarter's final goal giving the Valiants a 10-9 edge heading into the final frame.
 
Jeremy Kachel (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) scored to open the fourth for Wilkes tying the game at 10 before back-to-back strikes from Wink gave the Colonels their first advantage since the opening minutes up 12-10 with 12:27 left in the game.
 
Manhattanville rallied over the final twelve minutes to tie the game at 11 before a man-up goal with 2:44 proved to be the game-winner for the hosts.
 
Wink led Wilkes with four goals and one assist. Luna added a hat trick with three strikes and one helper while Weitzel finished with two goals. Kachel posted one goal and a team-best three assists.
 
Carter Whittemore (Rochester, NY/West Irondequoit) split time in the cage with Cody Geidel (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) for Wilkes as the duo combined for 12 saves.
 
Stolicker was efficient in the face-off circle going 18-for-28 for Wilkes.
 
Wilkes returns home Wednesday hosting defending MAC Freedom champion Eastern University at 7:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.