WASHINGTON, DC – The Wilkes University field hockey team fell by a 6-1 score at Cardinal Stadium in a Landmark Conference game at Catholic University Saturday afternoon.

Wilkes dropped to 3-5 in the Landmark and 8-8 overall with the loss. The Colonels are tied for the sixth and final postseason spot with Drew University with only the game on Wednesday against the Rangers remaining on the schedule. Catholic improved to 7-1 in the league and 11-4 overall with its sixth straight win.

Mary Parker put the Cardinals ahead just under three minutes into the game with a one touch finish off a cross by Carly Bateman. Catholic made the lead 2-0 following the first penalty corner of the game as Parker scored again assisted by Bateman at the 5:15 mark of the first quarter.

The Colonels earned their first penalty corner less than a minute later, but Morgan Millard's (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg Area) shot was saved by Abigail Kearney.

Carly Eidle (East Greenville, PA/Upper Perkiomen) made her first save at the 9:44 mark following a penalty corner.

Wilkes began turning up the offensive pressure at the start of the second quarter as the Colonels earned five penalty corners and forced a green card and a yellow card on Catholic. The fifth penalty corner proved pivotal to put Wilkes on the board as Olivia Gayoski (Forty Fort, PA/Wyoming Valley West) scored off an assist from Caitlin Keim (Trevorton, PA/Line Mountain) with the Colonels on the two player-advantage. Gayoski's sixth goal of the season came at the 22:37 mark.

Nearly three minutes later Bateman hit the post with a shot for Catholic. The Colonels were given a green card with 39 seconds remaining until halftime but the Cardinals only shot before the horn went wide as the game went into the break with Catholic leading 2-1.

The Cardinals came out with the offensive pressure in the third quarter and increased their lead on a Nikki Micciche goal at the 34:49 mark off an assist from Parker after Eidle had made a save. Eidle made another save a little more than two minutes later but Catholic went ahead 4-1 at the 40:04 mark as Parker completed her hat trick off an assist from Lauren Keast following a penalty corner.

Wilkes had a penalty corner before the third quarter ended but a Millard shot was blocked.

At 46:57 Catholic scored again as Lauren D'Emilio scored to make it a four-goal lead for the hosts. Micciche assisted on the play. Parker put her fourth of the game in the back of the cage following a penalty corner assist by Keast to make it 6-1 at the 52:56 mark to close the scoring.

Catholic held a 20-4 advantage on shots and a 10-2 lead in shots on goal. The Cardinals had 10 penalty corners compared to seven for the Colonels.

Eidle made four saves for Wilkes. Kearney made one save for Catholic in the win.

Wilkes is set to host Drew University in the regular season finale on Wednesday at Schmidt Stadium starting at 7:00 p.m. The sixth seed in the Landmark Conference tournament will be on the line in the matchup for the Colonels and Rangers.