WILKES-BARRE, PA (October 2, 2024) -- The King's College men's soccer team beat cross-town rival Wilkes University 1-0 Wednesday night at McCarthy Stadium, moving the Monarchs to 4-3-2 and the Colonels to 3-8-1. Six yellow cards were issued through the 90 minutes of play.

After a competitive first 30 minutes of the half, the first yellow card of the night was issued to King's first-year forward Mark Atherton. In minute 41, Wilkes' Giovanni Mazzola was issued one as well. Offensive opportunities were slim, sending the teams into halftime with a 0-0 score.     

Wilkes started the game with Matthew Conti in goal but made an adjustment during the 15 minute break and went with Owen Heale coming out of halftime. First-year forward Jackson Nuttall was issued a yellow card 50 seconds into the second half. In minute 49, after two consecutive shot attempts from Shane Serio that were deflected by Heale, Cameron Jones put the ball in the back of the net just to be called offsides and waved off.

Following a corner kick for King's, Atherton scored his first collegiate goal in minute 57 to put the Monarchs ahead 1-0. Three more yellow cards were issued to each respective team, the first coming in minute 66 on King's Nick Tighe, in minute 73 on Wilkes' Grant Gerstner and then in minute 88 on Wilkes' Matthew Meagher.

The Monarchs put on a show through the 90 minutes, maintaining possession for much of the game and notching 21 total shots with 12 being on goal. King's head coach Brandon Raynor switched up the starting goalkeeper for the rivalry game, going with first-year Shane Hughes, who ended the night with two saves. Heale was strong in goal for the Colonels, tallying 11 total saves on the night.

The Monarchs are back in action this Saturday, October 5 as they travel to Glenside, PA to take on the Knights of Arcadia in the first game of conference play. Kickoff will be at 3 p.m.