WILKES-BARRE, PA (October 20, 2021) -- The King's College field hockey team battled all evening and controlled possession for most of the game but a first quarter goal by Wilkes University was the difference in a 1-0 setback to the Colonels at McCarthy Stadium on Wednesday.

The Monarchs carried the momentum of Sunday's thrilling victory into the start of the game as Emma Clark had a shot blocked and then Sara Whitesell had two shots saved by Carly Eidle in the first couple minutes. King's kept the pressure on Eidle and the Colonels defense and had another string of shots denied in the 10th minute. Vivian Williams began the minute with having her attempt blocked. Ashley Thalassinos then sent a shot wide off a penalty corner before Williams had her shot saved by Eidle. Abby Wolfe then had her rebound shot blocked.

The Colonels were able to clear the ball away and into their offensive side. On their first penalty corner of the game, Bridget Rosenfeld sent the ball up to Morghan Murphy at the top of the circle. Murphy brought the ball into the semicircle and then drilled a shot into the right corner of the cage for her ninth goal of the season to give the Colonels the lead. Murphy nearly made it 2-0 early in the second quarter as she got another shot past Ellie Glatz. However, Lexi Prowker was right on the goal line ready to stop the shot for her fourth defensive save of the year.

King's pressed for the equalizer with a strong attack but could not get a shot to find its way into the back of the cage. KC had 20 shots total putting seven on goal and had seven shots blocked by Colonel defenders. The Monarchs had eight shots in the first quarter, seven in the second, four in the third, and then one in the fourth. Clark led the way with five shots and two on goal while Whitesell put both of her shots on goal. Thalassinos had three shots including one on goal while Bailey Jordan put one of her two shots on goal. Glatz had two saves while facing a total of eight shots. The Colonels put four of their eight shots on goal.

Besides controlling possession, the Monarchs also had a decisive advantage in penalty corner earning 13 compared to just three for Wilkes. Eidle finished with seven saves for the Colonels in goal.

The squad will look to rebound from the tough defeat on Saturday when they face their other local rival, Misericordia University, at 5:00 pm up in Dallas on Mangelsdorf Field.