EDWARDSVILLE – Zoe Stepanski's (Dallas, PA/Dallas) penalty stroke goal with less than ten minutes to play in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference as host Wilkes University escaped with a 1-0 MAC Freedom victory over Stevens Institute of Technology Saturday afternoon at Schmidt Stadium.
 
With the win Wilkes improved to 9-7 overall and evened its conference mark at 2-2. Stevens dropped to 9-6 overall and 2-2 in league games.
 
The teams went scoreless through the first three quarters and into the final frame with Stevens controlling most of the play in its offensive end outshooting Wilkes 21-3 throughout.
 
The Colonels surged to the offensive in the 50^th minute where Stepanski was fouled on the stick while shooting inside the circle which led to the penalty stroke. There she beat the Ducks goalie to the left side to give Wilkes a 1-0 lead with just under ten minutes left to play.
 
Stevens had arguably its best chance with 1:40 on the clock, but a Vanessa Damgaard (Elysburg, PA/Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical School) blocker save, one of her nine stops on the day, kept the visitors off the board for good.
 
Damgaard recorded her second career shutout making several game-saving stops including the big one late in the fourth.
 
Wilkes is back in action Wednesday with another MAC Freedom contest at cross-town rival King's College starting at 7:00 p.m.