EASTON, PA – The Wilkes University men's basketball team hung tough with Division I Lafayette University before falling 69-53 in an exhibition contest Sunday afternoon at the Kirby Sports Center.
 
It marked the second straight season that the Colonels played at a Division I opponent, having played the University of Pennsylvania at the Palaestra last season.
 
The Colonels held strong midway through the first half as a layup from Zachary Gula (Walnutport, PA/Northampton) and three-pointer from Colin Ackerman (Manasquan, NJ/Wall Township) tied the game at 15 with 9:36 on the clock. Cayden Merrifield (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) continued his fine play knocking down a three-pointer with just under five minutes left in the first half as Wilkes trailed 25-24. Lafayette answered back with a quick 6-0 run before Trent Fisher (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) scored in the paint as the Division I hosts led 34-28 at the break.
 
Wilkes continued to keep the game close trailing by less than 10 points until the 10:50 mark of the second half when Lafayette scored in transition then converted a turnover into two more points to take a 51-38 lead.
 
The lead grew to as much as 17 points before the Colonels began one last comeback attempt with under five minutes left in the contest. Ackerman knocked down another three followed by a Lucas Lesko (Northampton, PA/Northampton) layup. Gula's trey with 3:52 brought the Colonels to within 11 trailing 63-52. From there Lafayette scored six straight points to close out the home victory.
 
Lesko led two Wilkes players in double figres finishing with 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting. Fisher followed with 11 points and five rebounds.
 
Eric Sondberg topped all scorers firing in a game-high 16 points on 4-for-9 from behind the arc.
 
Wilkes returns home Tuesday to host Marywood University in a non-conference tilts scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the Marts Center