WILKES-BARRE, PA – The Wilkes University Colonels hosted the King's Monarchs for a Senior Night battle between Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom rivals at the Marts Center Tuesday night.
 
The Colonels (7-14, 6-9 MACF) took a lead into the locker room but fell to the Monarchs (15-8, 10-5) three-pointers and errors down the stretch and lost 58-52.
 
The Monarchs jumped out to an early advantage with a 10-0 run in the first half of the first quarter, but a 13-4 Navy and Gold run fueled by a balanced attack pushed them within one heading into the second frame.  The teams traded jumpers and layups until the Colonels went on a 10-2 run fueled by  junior Katelyn Kinczel's (Highland Heights, OH/Mayfield) six points from beyond the arc to take a 30-21 lead.   The Monarchs made little headway down the stretch into the Colonels advantage, and Wilkes went into the locker rooms up 32-25.
 
The Monarchs chipped away at the Colonels lead in the third quarter and walked away within three at 42-39.  King's tied it with a three-pointer to make it 44 all at 7:41 in the fourth quarter, and then tacked on two more to take a 50-47 lead.  Wilkes would tie it back up at 50 all from an assist from sophomore Julia Marino (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Township) with 2:23 left, but the Colonels would never see the lead again as the Monarchs sank their free throws to go home with a six point victory.
 
Marino finished with a team-high 12 points, while Kinczel and senior Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) rounded out the double-digit scoring Colonels with 10 each.  Junior Brianna Horton (Verona, NJ/Verona) finished with a season-high 15 rebounds.  Samantha Rajza was the lone Monarch in double-digits and led both teams with 18 points.
 
The Colonels wrap up their regular season with a matchup in Hoboken, N.J. against Stevens on Saturday.  First tip is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in a rematch of a game at the Marts Center the Colonels lost 76-51 to the Ducks.