WILKES-BARRE, PA – Kyle Bentz (Camp Hill, PA/Camp Hill) scored with just under three minutes remaining in regulation to push the Wilkes University men's soccer team to a come-from-behind Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) victory at cross-town rival King's College Tuesday night. The Colonels picked up the crucial conference victory by a 2-1 score at McCarthy Stadium.

Wilkes improved to 2-1-0 in MAC Freedom action and 7-4-1 overall. King's dropped to 2-1-0 in the conference and 7-4-2 overall. It was the first victory over King's since the 2007 season.

The game seemed destined for overtime before the Colonels earned a late corner kick which proved to be the opportunity needed to seal the road victory. Ed Lukowski (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) drove the corner kick to the near post where Bentz was making a run. The junior then made an acrobatic play on the ball to one-time a rocket into the top of the goal past the Monarchs goalkeeper at the 87:01 mark. The strike was the third game-winning goal of the season for Bentz and his sixth goal overall. It was the first career assist for Lukowski.

After King's went ahead 1-0 just 1:27 into the second half, freshman Gabriel Nieves (Yorktown Heights, NY/Lakeland Senior) provided the equalizer. The Colonels earned a free kick near midfield after a Monarchs foul. Shane Henehan (Bensalem, PA/Mast Community Charter School) played the free kick toward the box where Michael Buckholtz (Huntingtown, MD/Northern) won the battle in the air and flicked the ball into the left side of the box with his head where Nieves was making a run. Nieves then blasted a volley to the near post past the keeper to tie the game in the 53^rd minute. It was the third goal for Nieves and Buckholtz and Henehan each picked up their third assists of the season on the play.

Tim Gallagher (Easton, PA/Notre Dame Green Pond) and the Wilkes defense were under pressure in the first half as the Monarchs came out strong during the first 45 minutes and outshot the Colonels 9-1. Gallagher made his first save in the 15^th minute after King's had two consecutive corners.

Owen Geedey then came off his line in the 17^th minute to make a nice save on a Camry Huff (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro) chance to keep the Colonels off the scoreboard on their lone chance of the first half. Gallagher then made a save in the 30^th minute on a curling chance to the far post from 20-yards out and stopped a Monarchs header in the 41^st minute.

The game went into halftime scoreless but it didn't take long for King's to strike in the second 45 minutes as Fabio Massa headed in a corner kick at the 46:27 mark.

Wilkes turned things around both defensively and offensively from that point forward and were able to outshoot King's 5-1 the rest of the way to complete the comeback.

Nieves almost scored in the 48^th minute when his long shot headed for the top of the net was saved. After Nieves did tie the game Wilkes almost went ahead in the 59^th minute on a nice passing play from Gabriel Crowley (Cape May, NJ/Lower Cape May Regional) to Buckholtz to Alvaro Fernandez-Maldonado (Xalapa, MEX/Scranton) but his attempt inside the box was stopped by Geedey.

Gallagher and the defense withstood two King's corner kick opportunities in the 71^st minute as the game remained tied 1-1. Huff nearly connected with Bentz for the go-ahead goal in the 79^th minute but Bentz was unable to get a foot to the cross into the face of goal. Bentz did not miss his next chance to provide the game-winner in the 88^th minute.

Gallagher made three saves to earn his 22^nd career win.

The Colonels continue MAC Freedom play when they travel to Eastern for a 3:00 p.m. game this Saturday.