WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 20, 2021) -- King's College senior midfielder Trevor Douenias posted four points on two goals and two assists, adding 17 face-off wins, but it wasn't enough as visiting Wilkes University earned a 14-9 Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) victory in action from McCarthy Stadium Saturday. 

Douenias and company started out fast on Saturday, as the Monarchs (0-4, 0-2 MAC Freedom) tallied three of the game's opening four goals with two coming from first-year midfielder Joe Giannella. Junior Brendan Gambino set up Giannella's first goal of the game, and then scored his first tally of the contest and second of the season to make the score 3-1 with 2:38 to go in the opening stanza. Just before the end of the quarter, Wilkes' Ethan Weaver scored unassisted to send the game to the second quarter with King's up 3-2. 

The Colonels (1-3, 1-1 MAC Freedom) would deadlock the game at three but King's regained the lead with 7:22 to play in the first half on a nice play from a pair of seniors as Douenias beat his defender and found a wide open Gabe Vansuch right in front for the quick stick goal. That would be the last time though that the Monarchs would tally for the rest of the half, and Wilkes used that momentum to put together a 3-0 run before halftime to take a 6-4 lead into the break. 

Wilkes continued its spurt into the third quarter on an Alex Myers' goal at 14:26 to make the score 7-4 Wilkes, but King's wouldn't go away scoring three of the next four goals to pull to within one at 8-7. Douenias tallied at 13:43 on a nifty swim move and left-handed shot, followed 2:20 later on a goal from first-year Ryan Barnes at 11:13 to make it 7-6. A man-up goal from Wilkes pushed its lead back up to a pair, but junior middle Ryan Candelori scored his first of the season on a nice pass from Gambino to finish the King's run. The visiting Colonels seized the momentum back though from King's scoring three more just before the quarter break to take an 11-7 lead into the final 15 minutes. 

In the fourth, Douenias chalked up his sixth of the season, which Vansuch scored an unbelievable goal from his seat on the ground but it wasn't enough as Wilkes held on for its first win of 2021. In addition to his four points, Douenias was 17-of-26 on face-offs Saturday and now has posted 16 or more draw wins in all four games this year, while his 17 Saturday tied for the four-most in a game ever at King's. The senior added 11 ground balls as well, while Gambino finished with a goal and two assists in addition to three ground balls. 

Giannella and Vansuch tallied twice for King's, which finished with a season-high 10 caused turnovers while turning the ball over just 19 times, one shy of it's season low. First-year short-stick middie Alex Tristan had a solid game with four ground balls and a caused turnover, while senior Patrick Burnham added three caused turnovers and three loose balls. Sophomore keeper Joe Plachcinski was steady in goal, making 17 saves for the Monarchs, a career-high. 

King's was outshot on the day 44-32, while winning 17 of the 27 face-offs taken Saturday. Ethan Weaver led all players with nine points on three goals and six assists, while Luke Palladino finished with three goals as well. 

The Monarchs will return to the road on Wednesday, traveling down to Doylestown, PA to take on the Aggies of Delaware Valley University in conference action at 7 p.m.