WILKES-BARRE – The fifth-seeded Wilkes University women's soccer team is set to face top-seeded and No. 4 ranked Misericordia University in a Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) Semifinal Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at Mangelsdorf Field in Dallas, Pa. The Colonels advanced out of the Play-In Game with a 2-1 victory at fourth-seeded FDU-Florham on Tuesday night.

Live video and stats of tonight's contest are provided by Misericordia at the following links:

Live Video
Live Stats

Admission to the game is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, $2 for students (with ID) and children, and free for children under six with an adult. Full information on the 2021 MAC Freedom Men's Soccer Championship can be found at the championship central page including merchandise information.

Wilkes earned the 2-1 victory in the MAC Freedom Play-In Game on Tuesday night at FDU-Florham to improve to 8-8-2 overall. Emily Bidelspach (Myerstown, PA/ELCO) gave the Colonels a 1-0 lead in the 44th minute and Victoria Burkhart (Mount Pocono, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) broke a 1-1 tie with the game-winning goal in the 84th minute. Wilkes earned the fifth seed in the MAC Freedom Women's Soccer Championship following a regular season that saw them finish tied for fourth in the conference standings with a 3-3-2 record.

Misericordia, ranked No. 4 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches National Top 25 Poll on November 2nd, earned the No. 1 seed in the MAC Freedom Women's Soccer Championship as they went undefeated in league play at 8-0-0 and stand at 16-1-0 overall. The Cougars defeated the Colonels 9-2 during the regular season meeting in Dallas, Pa. on October 12th when they were ranked No. 10.

The Colonels are led on offense by Bidelspach who ranks tied for fourth in the conference with 13 goals and is sixth with 31 points. Her five assists are tied for the team lead and tenth in the MAC Freedom along with Erica Feese (State College, PA/State College Area). Bidelspach is tied for second with three game-winning goals. Sarah Eliff (Owings, MD/Northern) is second on the team and tied for 14th in the league with five goals. Wilkes received goals from 14 different players on the year. The Wilkes offense ranks fourth in the MAC Freedom with 16.56 shots-per-game and fifth with 1.94 goals-per-game.

Hannah Landis (Red Hill, PA/Upper Perkiomen) has started 15 of the 18 games this season for the Colonels and ranks second in the conference with 82 total saves following a six save performance in the victory over the Devils. She has recorded two shutouts with a 1.69 goals-against-average and a .759 save percentage. Landis has won the MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week award three times this season. The Wilkes defense as a whole unit ranks sixth in the conference with 1.67 goals against-per-game.

Misericordia's high-powered offense is led by Emma Sweitzer and Kaylee Sturans. Sweitzer is tied for the league lead with 16 goals and is tied for second with 10 assists as she sits atop the conference with 42 total points. Sturans ranks third with 14 goals and tied for seventh with six assists for a total of 34 points which is tied for third overall. Michaela Fasolino ranks eighth in the MAC Freedom with 10 goals and 24 points. Madison Brdaric is tied for sixth with six assists while Julia Beck and Kate Field are tied for tenth with five. The Cougars lead the league with 27.47 shots-per-game and 4.06 goals-per-game.

Alexis Benedetto leads MAC Freedom goalkeepers with a 0.398 goals-against-average, a .891 save percentage and seven shutouts while totaling 49 saves. The Misericordia defense leads the league with 0.53 goals against-per-game.

The winner of the Wilkes at Misericordia MAC Freedom Semifinal will move onto face the winner of the other semifinal between No. 3 seed Stevens Institute of Technology (8-5-4, 5-1-2) and No. 2 seed DeSales (13-4-0, 6-2-0). That semifinal is set for 2:00 p.m. Thursday in Center Valley, Pa. The two semifinal winners will meet with the MAC Freedom NCAA Division III Tournament automatic qualifier spot on the line on Saturday, November 6 in the Final.