EDWARDSVILLE, P.A. – The Manhattanville College field hockey team dropped a 2-0 decision to Wilkes University in MAC Freedom Conference play Saturday afternoon.

Manhattanville (3-10, 1-3 MAC Freedom) senior goalkeeper Kaitlin Halloran (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown East) recorded 22 saves, tying her season and career-high set on September 16 against William Smith. Fellow seniors Haley Linkroum (Deposit, N.Y./Deposit) and Devon Butler (Northport, N.Y./Northport) added a pair of defensive saves for the Valiants.

Haley Gayoski scored both goals for the Lady Colonels (6-8, 2-2 MAC Freedom) whose relentless team offense became their best defense, as Wilkes finished the match with 37 shots, holding the Valiants to just six.

Wilkes came out firing, peppering four shots on goal in the first five minutes, forcing three of Halloran's saves and one of Linkroum's defensive saves. Senior Melissa Stys (Pequannock, N.J./Kent School) positioned herself well in front of the left post past the eight-minute mark, but just missed a re-direction that would have given the Valiants an early lead.

Halloran kept Wilkes off the board with nine saves in the first 31 minutes, but a laser from Gayoski at the top left of the circle at 31:17 was too much for Halloran to handle.
Less than five minutes into the second half, a save by Halloran, and a defensive save a piece by Linkroum and Butler -- all in the span of 30 seconds – kept the deficit at 1-0.

Halloran made 13 more saves in the second half, but Gayoski did make her way onto the scorer's sheet again with an insurance goal, her fifth of the season, in the final few minutes for the final score of the match.

The team returns to GoValiants.com Field for back-to-back 7:00 p.m. games Tuesday and Wednesday against Stevens and DeSales, respectively.