EDWARDSVILLE – Emily Bidelspach (Myerstown, PA/ELCO) recorded her third career two-goal game to help lead the host Wilkes University women's soccer team to a 3-1 non-conference victory over Marywood University Wednesday night at Bruggeworth Field.

Wilkes improved to 3-5-0 on the season with the victory where the Colonels quadrupled the Pacers in shots. Marywood dropped to 4-4-0 with the loss.

A high paced first half produced numerous chances on both sides as the goalkeepers were the story early on. Rebekah Becker made six saves for the Pacers on Colonel's chances while Hannah Landis (Red Hill, PA/Upper Perkiomen) had two saves for Wilkes before the game's first goal.

Wilkes broke through in the 32nd minute as Sarah Eliff (Owings, MD/Northern) found the net. She was in on a breakaway after a nice through ball off the foot of Bidelspach from near midfield. Eliff's initial shot was saved but she corralled the rebound and placed it in the empty net calmly for the first year forward's second goal of the season.

The Colonels hit the scoreboard again in the 33rd minute when Bidelspach found room at the top of the box taking the ball from her right to left. She fired a left-footed shot past the diving keeper to the near side for the beautiful goal to make the score 2-0.

Aliah Balch (Paupack, PA/Wallenpaupack Area) nearly extended the Colonels lead in the 40th minute when she hit the crossbar with a shot from in close.

In total, Wilkes had 17 shots with nine on goal in the first half compared to seven Marywood shots with two of those on frame.

At the opening of the second half, Eliff nearly collected her second tally of the contest when she hit the left post from the right side of the field in the 46th minute.

Three more saves from Becker followed, keeping the Pacers in touch. Marywood paid off its goalkeeper's efforts in the 56th minute when Marissa Boles found space in the middle near the six-yard box and scored off a pass by Elizabeth Levine from the left end line.

Becker continued to make saves as Wilkes piled the shots on through the remaining portion of the second half as the Pacers stayed within one goal of the Colonels. Then in the 89th minute Bidelspach scored her second of the game to push the Colonels lead back to two. Katie Sites (Collegeville, PA/Spring-Ford Area) played a terrific through ball in from the top-right of the box that Bidelspach collected with a turn to her left and beat the keeper nearside with a right-footed shot from right side of the six-yard box. It was the first career point for Sites and sixth goal of the season for Bidelspach.

Lauren Sweeney (West Chester, PA/West Chester Rustin), who entered to play goal at halftime for the Colonels, made a final save in the 90th as Wilkes finished off Marywood 3-1.

The Colonels piled on 23 more shots with 12 on goal in the second for a total of 40 shots and 21 on goal in the game. Marywood had three shots with two on goal in the second half to total 10 and four for the game. Wilkes held a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks.

Bidelspach led the Colonels with eight shots and six on goal while Eliff and Tatiana Mancera (Miami, FL/Archimedean Upper Conservatory) added seven shots each with four and three on goal respectively. Karyna Vargas (Rahway, NJ/Rahway) had six shots with four on target.

Landis earned the victory for Wilkes as she made two saves. Becker was the story for Marywood as she made 18 saves for the Pacers.

Wilkes will now begin Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play on Homecoming Saturday at the Ralston Athletic Complex riding a two-game win streak. The Colonels face FDU-Florham at Bruggeworth Field with first kick scheduled for 1:00 p.m.