Three Second Half Goals Pushes Wilkes Men's Soccer over Delaware Valley
DOYLESTOWN, PA – Colin Schulmeister (Old Saybrook, CT/Old Saybrook) and Matthew Horwedel (Delanson, NY/Schalmont Senior) both scored in the second half to help Wilkes University men's soccer team pass Delaware Valley University 3-0 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play on Friday night.
Wilkes keeps their MAC Freedom playoff chances alive as they improve to 6-7-1 overall and 3-2 in the conference. Delaware Valley falls to 6-6 on the year and 1-4 in conference action.
The first half saw the Colonels go on the offensive, outshooting Delaware Valley 7-4 in the first half. Opportunities were shown early, as Horwedel, Cameron Feister, and Matthew Meagher (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) all had opportunities at scoring, with the Aggies' goalie saving throughout the half. The defenses for both teams stepped up near the halfway point of the first half, with neither team taking a shot for 15 minutes.
Delaware Valley had an opportunity to take the lead, getting a header from a corner kick that hit the top of the post. Herbert Ramirez (Highstown, NJ/Highstown) nearly responded for the Colonels, as he took a rebound from Delaware Valley's goalie and attempted a shot that was ultimately saved.
Beginning the second half, Wilkes wasted no time in keeping the offensive push going as Schulmeister took a pass from the Aggies player and ran down the left side of the field, taking a shot that hit the right corner post to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute. Delaware Valley kept trying to keep up with the same pace but missed shots and back-to-back offsides hurt the Aggies chances early in the second half.
Schulmeister took his chance again as he took a pass from Josey Williamson (Oley Valley, PA/Oley Valley), running down the same side as he did for the first goal and made a cut to the left to pass the goalie, leaving an open net goal at the 62nd minute to extend the Colonel led to 2-0.
Wilkes finished their scoring push at the 84th minute, as Meagher kicked a long pass to Schulmeister, who bounced the ball near the center of the goal to Horwedel, where he edged out the Aggies goalkeeper and found the net to make the score 3-0 for the Colonels. Wilkes took 19 shots on the night to Delaware Valley's eight.
Nick Kinzler (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) saved multiple shots late in the game, a header in the 69th minute and a cross shot at the 77th mark, to keep the Colonel lead afloat. Kinzler finished with three saves on the night.
Wilkes will keep pressing to get a playoff spot as they host Misericordia on Wednesday in MAC Freedom action at 7:00 p.m. at Bruggeworth Field.
