Horwedel's Penalty Kick Goal Not Enough in Wilkes Men's Soccer's 3-1 Loss at Misericordia
DALLAS, PA – Host Misericordia University opened a 2-0 lead midway through the second half before adding a penalty kick goal late in the match to secure a 3-1 MAC Freedom victory over visiting Wilkes University Wednesday night at Mangelsdorf Field.
Wilkes fell to 6-5-2 overall and 1-2 in MAC Freedom matches following the road defeat. Misericordia picked up its first conference win of 2019 moving to 1-0-2 in league play and 4-5-4 overall after recording the home victory.
Misericordia struck with just over a minute left in the first half as Levi Roberts sent in a free kick from 25-yards out where the ball found the head of Eric Goldberg and into the back of the net to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.
The Cougars added to their lead early in the second half using pressure on the outside to earn a corner kick in the 53
rd minute. John Caracappa's corner ball found Cody Rogers whose header found the inside of the right post to give Misericordia a 2-0 advantage.
Wilkes responded in the 69
th minute when
Matthew Horwedel (Delanson, NY/Schalmont Senior) was pulled down on a Colonels corner kick attempt drawing a penalty shot in the process. Horwedel calmly beat the Cougar goalie to the right side of the net to cut the lead in half as Wilkes trailed 2-1.
Misericordia then put the match out of reach in the 71
st minute as Horwedel was called for his own foul in the box leading to a Cougar penalty kick. Caracappa's shot just went past the outstretched arms of Colonel keeper
Nick Kinzler (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) who guessed the right side of the shot but couldn't get enough of the ball to stop it from going into the net.
Misericordia held a 17-11 shot advantage with six of the 17 coming on goal. The Cougars also earned nine corner kick attempts to Wilkes' five attempts.
Kinzler finished with three saves in his first career start in net for Wilkes.
Wilkes returns to conference play Saturday hosting Eastern University at 3:00 p.m. at Bruggeworth Field. The Colonels will honor their five senior members at a pre-match ceremony before first kick.
