CENTER VALLEY, PA – The Wilkes University men's soccer team tied the game in the second half but an 86th minute penalty kick goal pushed host DeSales University to a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) victory on Saturday afternoon.

Wilkes fell to 1-4-1 in the MAC Freedom and to 6-7-3 overall with the loss. DeSales improved to 3-3-0 in the league and to 6-10-1 overall with the victory.

The evenly played game saw each team finish with 10 shots with the Colonels holding a 4-3 edge in shots-on-goal and an 8-5 advantage in corner kicks.

The Colonels first opportunities in the game came in the 10th minute as Gabriel Nieves (Yorktown Heights, NY/Lakeland Senior) and Danny McGinley (Brodheadsville, PA/Pleasant Valley) each had shots blocked by the Bulldogs defense. DeSales then gained the 1-0 lead with a goal in the 15th minute by Dimeji Oyinkolade.

Nieves had a shot stopped in the 17th minute by the Bulldogs goalkeeper Jake Padula and Padula was up to the task on a Kyle Bentz (Camp Hill, PA/Camp Hill) shot in the 20th minute. Joseph Costa (Rocky Point, NY/Rocky Point) then had a shot saved in the 26th minute.

McGinely then tied the score for the Colonels in the second half. His shot at the 63:04 mark deflected off a defender and went into the upper 90 at the near post for his second goal of the season.

Following a Wilkes foul in the box Sean Tunney converted a penalty kick for the game-winning goal at the 85:29 mark.

Nieves had a game-high five shots. Zach Tone (Easton, PA/Easton Area) made one save for the Colonels.

The Colonels host Penn College for their final home game of the regular season at Bruggeworth Field on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. for a non-conference contest. Wilkes leads the series 2-1 since 2013 but it was the Wildcats with a 1-0 victory last season in Williamsport, Pa.