EDWARDSVILLE – Nicholas Ruggiero (Califon, NJ/Voorhees) and Nico Lorenzo (Howell, NJ/Howell) combined for 10 points (4 goals/6 assists) and John Luna (Valley Center, CA/Valley Center) added a career-high four goals to lead host Wilkes University to a 16-12 MAC Freedom victory over Delaware Valley University Wednesday afternoon at Schmidt Stadium.
 
Wilkes improved to 7-8 overall and 2-4 in MAC Freedom games following its second home conference victory of the year. Delaware Valley dropped to 3-12 overall and 1-5 in league play.
 
Delaware Valley opened the scoring in the game when Matt Waibel picked up a ground ball in front of the Wilkes goal and scored unassisted. Wilkes answered twenty seconds later as JT Weitzel (Hampstead, MD/North Carroll) took possession of the ensuing faceoff and scored unassisted with 13:29 left in the first quarter. The Aggies took back the advantage at 2-1 with 12:25 on the clock as PJ Rafferty scored unassisted.
 
Wilkes took advantage of a two man-up situation as Connor Daly (Oakhurst, NJ/Ocean Twp.) scored just after the two Delaware Valley slashing penalties expired to tie the game at 2-2. Delaware Valley scored two straight goals to open up a 4-2 lead, the second coming on the man-up after a Ruggiero penalty.
 
Ruggiero made up on the offensive end scoring off a pass from Jeremy Kachel (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata) for his 32^nd goal of the season as Wilkes trailed 4-3 with 5:13 left in the quarter. Delaware Valley added one more score with just over a minutes left to play in the first to close out the scoring in the frame with the Aggies leading 5-3.
 
The second quarter proved to be all Wilkes as the Colonels outscored Delaware Valley 5-2 in the frame. Wilkes' top goal scorer John Wink (Glenside, PA/Abington) notched his first strike of the game off a transition feed from Weitzel to cut into the deficit still down 5-4 early in the second quarter. Nico Lorenzo (Howell, NJ/Howell) made the comeback complete on the man-up with 13:26 left in the half drilling a shot in between the Aggie goalie's legs off another pass from Kachel.
 
The Colonels continued to pour on the offense taking the lead 6-5 on its third straight goal and second of the quarter. Wilkes moved the ball around the perimeter before Wink found Luna on the far post for the point-blank goal. The lead continued to grow as Luna scored again from almost the same spot off a pass from Lorenzo as Wilkes led 7-5 with 8:40 remaining in the half. Ruggiero made it five straight goals in the quarter as Kachel found the senior sharpshooter for his second of the contest.
 
Delaware Valley scored two goals to end the half as Wilkes led 8-7 at the break.
 
The Aggies completed their comeback scoring on the man-up eight seconds into the third frame tying the game at 8.
 
From there Wilkes countered with six straight goals as Daly (man-up), Matthew Bush (Lake Hopatcong, NJ/Jefferson Twp.) (twice), Luna, Wink and Lorenzo all found the back of the net to push the Colonels lead to 14-8 at the end of three quarters.
 
Delaware Valley answered with three quick goals to start the fourth period, the second being on the man-up to cut Wilkes' lead in half at 14-11. Daly scored one more time and Luna added the insurance goal with 2:21 left to keep Wilkes ahead for good. Carter Whittemore (Rochester, NY/West Irondequoit) stood his ground in net stopping several key Aggie chances late to seal the conference victory for the Colonels.
 
Kachel was brilliant in the setup game finishing with a team-high four assists while Daly added three goals and Wink two goals and one helper. Bush followed with two goals and Weitzel chipped in with one goal and one assist.
 
Whittemore finished with 15 saves recording his seventh win of the year in net.
 
Wilkes closes out the season Saturday hosting DeSales University at 1:00 p.m. on Senior Day at Schmidt Stadium.