EDWARDSVILLE – Gabby Lucchese scored the game-winning goal six minutes into overtime to lift No. 3 DeSales University to a 2-1 victory over No. 2 Wilkes University in the MAC Freedom semifinals Wednesday night at Schmidt Stadium.  
 
Wilkes sees its season end at 7-11 overall while DeSales advances to the MAC Freedom Championship match against No. 1 Misericordia University who was a 1-0 winner over No. 4 FDU-Florham earlier in the night.
 
Wilkes first quality scoring chance came on a Dianna Connor (Effort, PA/Pleasant Valley) corner which the junior almost bent into the goal before a DeSales defender kicked the ball free of the goal line at the 9:33 mark of the first half.
 
Keeping the pressure on the DeSales defense, Micaela Oliverio (Carlisle, PA/Trinity) rang a shot from the top of the box that the Bulldogs keeper pushed high and over the cross bar to prevent a goal. Just four minutes later, Haley Evans (Deptford, NJ/GCIT) rocketed a shot from 20 yards out which again was saved by the DeSales keeper.
 
Evans took another nice pass from Ema Sabovic (Brodheadsville, PA/Pleasant Valley) at the 25:15 mark taking at clear shot from ten yards out which again was denied by the Bulldog keeper.
 
DeSales took a 1-0 lead at the 33:36 mark when Jess Weatherhold connected on a shot past a diving Alyssa Young (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon) off a play in from the right side from Danni Engwall.
 
Wilkes had a solid opportunity fifteen minutes into the second half when D. Connor took a free kick from just outside the left box and sailed the shot high over the goal.
 
The equalizer came at the 77:23 mark of the second half when Brittany Gurreri (Dallastown, PA/Dallastown) headed home a pass from Evans to tie the score at 1-1.
 
Evans had one more opportunity to secure the win for Wilkes late in regulation but her shot hit the cross bar with just under two minutes left.
 
Wilkes had several scoring chances to start the extra period, but three shots sailed wide left and one shot hit the crossbar to keep the score even.
 
From there, DeSales' Angelica Bertola found a streaking Lucchese down the left side of the field for the game-winner that went to the far right post beating Young.
 
Wilkes held the upper hand of play in its offensive end throughout the second half and beginning of overtime outshooting DeSales 24-11. The Lady Colonels also garnered eight corner kicks to DeSales' one attempt.
 
Young finished with three saves in net for Wilkes.