MADISON, NJ – Tied at one following 110 minutes of play, No. 4 FDU-Florham outlasted No. 5 Wilkes University in a penalty shootout 4-2 advancing to the semifinals of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Tournament.
 
Wilkes concluded its season with a 7-9-3 overall record, making its season consecutive appearance in the conference postseason tournament. FDU-Florham improved to 9-4-6 overall and will face No. 1 Stevens Institute of Technology in the semifinals on Thursday.
 
Wilkes wasted little time taking the lead when Cameron Fiester (Muncy Valley, PA/Sullivan County) kicked home a cross from Xavier Guerreiro (Newtown, PA/Council Rock North) just 2:20 into the match. The Colonels took the one goal advantage into the half.
 
FDU-Florham responded in the second frame as Christian Vriones dribbled past a Colonel defender down the right side and fired a shot to the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1 at the 54:40 mark.
 
The two teams traded scoring opportunities the rest of the second half but remained scoreless through two ten minute overtime sessions to setup the penalty shootout to decide the winner.
 
Will Wagstaff (Allentown, PA/Parkland) began the shootout for Wilkes with a successful make. FDU-Florham responded with a make to tie the shootout at one. Guerreiro added the Colonels second made shot followed by another Devils successful attempt tying the shootout at two.
 
Nicholas Surgent (Wall. NJ/Wall) was then stopped on his attempt and the Devils took the lead in the shootout with a made attempt on its following try. Matthew Meagher (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) hit the crossbar on Wilkes' final attempt as FDU-Florham netted the next attempt, ending the shootout and the Colonels season.
 
Nick Kinzler (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) made a career high nine saves for Wilkes in net.