WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- In a rematch of last season's Freedom Conference Championship game, the King's College Monarchs topped the FDU-Florham men's soccer team 5-3 on Tuesday night at McCarthy Stadium.

The Devils (3-8-3, 1-2 Freedom) dropped the high-scoring affair to the Monarchs (10-4-1, 2-1 Freedom) after last season's 2-1 defensive battle in the conference final.

On Tuesday, King's struck first when Erik Foster rebounded Niall Croke's shot attempt 11:22 into play. FDU-Florham goalkeeper Nick Mihalik (Wayne, N.J.) stopped the initial attempt but could not prevent the rebound and the Monarchs led 1-0. The goal came after a flurry of Devils shots that were all saved by King's goalkeeper Tyler Wilson.

In the 26th minute, the Monarchs increased their lead to 2-0 thanks to a 40-yard strike from Chris Nguyen. Despite nine first-half shot attempts, the Devils entered the break trailing by the two-goal margin. Wilson played a big role in keeping FDU-Florham scoreless by making six saves in the first stanza.

King's junior forward David Hernandez tacked on a goal with 32:44 remaining in the game and built their cushion to 3-0. However, 2:43 later the Devils answered when senior captain Tommy Asselta (Bethpage, N.Y.) fired a free kick into the box and Chaz Armand (Westlake, Ga.) redirected it past Wilson.

The Devils made it a one-goal game in the 68th minute when Jay Bower (Farmingdale, N.J.) netted his first goal of the season by securing a loose ball in the box and sending it into the back of the net.

Unfortunately, King's responded with two more goals, the second coming with 6:25 remaining in the contest and built an insurmountable 5-2 lead. In the 88th minute, Andrew Ruane (Parsippany, N.J.) buried a penalty kick for the Devils third goal of the game but it was too little too late and the Monarchs held on for the win.

 Hernandez led the Monarchs attack with a goal and two assists. King's outshot FDU-Florham 16-13 in the game. 

In the loss, Asselta tallied his team-leading third assist of the season, while Ruane netted goal number two on the campaign.

Next up for the Devils:
FDU-Florham hosts DeSales University in the annual homecoming game this Saturday, October 18th at 11 a.m.