WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's volleyball team dropped a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) match to DeSales University by a 3-0 score on Pediatric Cancer night at the Marts Center Tuesday. Set scores were 25-17, 25-12, 25-20 in favor of the Bulldogs.

The Colonels dropped to 12-14 overall and to 2-4 in the conference with the loss. DeSales improved to 12-14 overall and to 4-2 in league action.

Wilkes started set one well as Jamey Mikovich (Nesquehoning, PA/Panther Valley) collected four kills to put the Colonels ahead 5-2. Following a kill by Laura Booths (Lake Ariel, PA/Western Wayne) and a block by Michele Natale (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) and Kelsey Carroll (Jim Thorpe, PA/Jim Thorpe) the Colonels still held a three-point lead at 8-5. A Julie Murphy (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) ace made the score 13-12 in favor of the home team but then the Bulldogs went on a 13-4 run to win the opening set 25-17.

DeSales got off to the hot start in set two, leading 8-3 and never looked back from there. The Bulldogs led 18-5 before Wilkes went on a five-point run to make the score 18-10. During the run Alex Ferrier (Auburn, PA/Blue Mountain) and Mikovich each had a kill and Amy Hadesty (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua Area) and Ferrier combined for a block. DeSales rebounded to score seven of the next nine points to take set two by a 25-12 score.

Consecutive kills by Ferrier and Mikovich put Wilkes ahead 4-3 early in set three. A three-point run by the Bulldogs put them ahead for good in the set though as the visitors closed the match with a 25-20 victory.

Ferrier led Wilkes with 10 kills while Mikovich added nine kills and seven digs. Murphy led Wilkes with nine digs from her libero position. Karlye Huffman (Sugar Run, PA/Wyalusing) was the Colonels leader with 21 assists.

Diane Pugay led DeSales with 10 kills while Cristal Fernandez had 13 digs and Audrey Wolfe finished with 35 assists.

Wilkes remains home for its second of seven consecutive matches to close out the regular season at the Marts Center when the Colonels welcome Penn State Berks for a non-conference match on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The two teams are 4-4 since 2010 against each other, with the Colonels coming out on top the past three seasons.