Wilkes Field Hockey Falls to DeSales 3-2
EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University field hockey team opened Homecoming weekend with a nail-biting 3-2 loss to DeSales University on Friday evening at Schmidt Stadium
The Colonels fell to 1-1 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play and 8-5 overall with the defeat.
DeSales got on the board in the fifth minute with a goal scored after a goal-front scrum resulting in a rebound put-back.
Zoe Stepanski (Dallas, PA/Dallas) got Wilkes on the board in the ninth minute when Lauren Shiplett (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) sent a shot on goal off a penalty corner with Stepanski corralling the rebound and stuffing it home to tie the game.
The Bulldogs added on in the 21st minute with a goal that deflected off a defensive stick and over the Colonel players into the cage. The score remained 2-1 in DeSales favor as play entered halftime.
The Bulldogs increased their lead to 3-1 in the 39th minute when a shot off of a corner deflected right back to a DeSales forward, who put home the rebound.
Lauren Baldwin (Clarks Summit, PA/Lackawanna Trail) got the Colonels to within one score in the 60th minute, but Wilkes was unable to tie the score in the last 30 seconds.
Vanessa Damgaard (Elysburg, PA/Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical School) made five saves in cage for the Colonels.
Wilkes returns to the field next Friday when it will travel to FDU-Florham for a 7:00 p.m. MAC Freedom game.
