EDWARDSVILLE – The Wilkes University field hockey team made its 2025 home debut a fine one as the Colonels scored four first quarter goals on way to an 8-0 non-conference victory over visiting Alfred University Wednesday afternoon at Schmidt Stadium.
 
Wilkes improved to 2-0 on the season while Alfred dropped to 0-3 on the year.
 
The Colonels saw five players reach the scoring column in the victory as the eight goals matched the most since 2008 in a win over Keystone (8-1).
 
Sage Morgan (Dallas, PA/Lake Lehman) got the scoring started when she found the back of the cage on the back post just 57 seconds into the game. Lydia Keppel (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) made it 2-0 four minutes later as she scored off an assist from Morgan.
 
Taylor Minick (Reading, PA/Gov. Mifflin Senior) pushed the advantage to 3-0 at the 9:48 mark of the first frame assisted by Emma Lautenbacher (Bangor, PA/Bangor). Olivia Gayoski (Forty Fort, PA/Wyoming Valley West) then finished off the four-goal opening stanza at 12:44.
 
Georgia Baskett (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg) notched her first goal of the year in the second quarter thanks to a Taylor Bower (Bloomsburg, PA/Bloomsburg) helper as Wilkes led 5-0 at the half.
 
Wilkes pushed across three more goals in the third quarter (Morgan Hermanofski (Shickshinny, PA/Northwest Area) (2X) and Minick) before stepping off the gas in the final frame to take the shutout win at home.
 
Wilkes outshot Alfred 26-0 while garnering nine penalty corners.
 
Hermanofksi and Minick tallied two goals each while Morgan and Bower each contributed two assists.
 
Olivia Wickel (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) recorded the win in goal for Wilkes as three different Colonels saw time in the cage.
 
Wilkes continues its home stretch on Saturday with a non-league contest against Alvernia University starting at 1:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.