WILKES-BARRE, PA (October 26, 2019) --- Senior August Axtman converted his third penalty kick of the season just 16 seconds into the match and the Monarch defense did the rest to give the King's College men's soccer team an important 2-0 Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) victory over visiting Misericordia University on Senior Day at McCarthy Stadium in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday afternoon.

The Monarchs (12-4-1,3-2-1 MAC Freedom) handed the Cougars (6-6-4, 3-1-2 MAC Freedom) their first conference loss while also keeping pace in a very tight race for one of the final two spots in the MAC Freedom Tournament.

KC got off to a very fast start against the visitors taking the opening kickoff quickly down the field straight to the box. Freshman Aziz Atiyeh drew a foul by the Cougar keeper in the box 16 seconds into the match setting up a penalty kick for the Monarchs. Axtman, as he had done 13 prior times in his career, sent the ball into the back of the net for his eighth goal of the season and 23rd of his career. The goal in the first minute also marked the third straight match King's has scored within the first five minutes and the fourth scoring within the first 10.

The Monarchs kept the pressure of the Cougar defense as Alastair Dinnan, Nik Verma, and Matthew Hesse got shots off within minutes of each other right around the 15-minute mark. Misericordia took their first shot late in the 25th minute as Connor McKeown made easy work of a Nick Szczerba attempt. 40 seconds later King's scored their second goal of the match as Atiyeh intercepted a pass from a defender, dribbled to the top of the box and then unleashed a shot inside the left post for his second goal of the season.

In a defensive battle, the two-goal advantage was all the Monarchs needed to defeat their local rivals for the third straight season. The victory also marked the third straight shutout for King's over MU. KC held the Cougars to two total shots in the second half and four total for the match with just two going on goal. The Monarchs controlled possession for 55 percent of the time with the ball being possessed in the midfield for a majority of the 90 minutes.

King's will be back in action on Monday afternoon when they travel up to Elmira, NY to take on Elmira College in the final non-conference match of the season. Kickoff from the Elmira Campus Field will be at 3:30 pm. KC will then close out the regular season with a trip to New Jersey as they take on the Devils of FDU-Florham next Saturday at 2 pm from Robert T. Shields Field. A Monarchs victory will clinch a spot in the MAC Freedom Tournament as either the third or fourth seed.