SCRANTON, Pa. – In a game that was delayed two hours by lightning, the Wilkes University men's soccer team had two strikes of its own to back a strong defensive effort that did not allow a single shot on goal in a 2-0 win at Marywood University on Monday afternoon.

The Colonels earned their first victory of 2018 to improve to 1-0-1.

Neither team was able to breach the goal in the first half; however Wilkes came out firing as it attempted 10 shots while the Pacers shot twice.

Wilkes wasted no time in the second half as Shane Henehan (Bensalem, PA/Mast Community Charter School) played the ball in from the left sideline that was blasted in by Gabriel Nieves (Yorktown Heights, NY/Lakeland Senior) from ten yards out for Nieves' first collegiate goal, giving the Colonels a 1-0 lead in the 49^th minute.

Andrew Reichard (Easton, PA/Easton Area) added an insurance tally in the 56^th minute when he converted a penalty shot, his first goal for the Navy and Gold.

Wilkes continued to make itself comfortable in the offensive end, just missing a third score in the 71^st minute when Cole Hefner (East Greenville, PA/Southern Lehigh) headed in a corner kick from Jeffrey Eager-Heffner (Blandon, PA/Fleetwood Area) past the keeper but off the crossbar.

Tim Gallagher (Easton, PA/Notre Dame Green Pond) earned his first victory of the year in relatively easy fashion as he was not called on to make any saves, a huge credit to the effort of the Colonels defensive unit.

Wilkes finished with 20 shot attempts to just seven for Marywood with four Colonels shots hitting their target. Wilkes totaled 10 corner kicks while holding the Pacers to three.

The Colonels make their 2018 home debut when they return to Schmidt Stadium on Saturday against Moravian College in non-conference action starting a 2:30 p.m.