3-09-2025 2:26pm

MUSTANGS IN

Hunt Valley Life Staff

4 Winner Stevenson 18-7-2

1 Wilkes 17-8-2

Mustangs make history, earn first-ever NCAA Tournament bid with 4-1 win at Wilkes

Next Game:

vs. NCAA Tournament First Round

3/15/2025 | TBA

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Stevenson Men's Hockey made history Saturday with their 4-1 victory over top-seeded Wilkes, earning the first-ever Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Mustangs wasted no time getting ahead of the Colonels as first year Aiden Lindley found the back of the net just two minutes into the game. His solo effort accounted for his sixth of the season.

Building off of the momentum generated by Lindley, junior Caden Smith notched his seventh goal of the year on the Mustang power-play less than six minutes later. Assisting Smith were classmate Blake Benson and senior Evan Beers for their eighth and 14th assists this season, respectively.

Wilkes came out hard in the second, scoring just past the one-minute mark to cut their goal deficit in half. However, this would be Wilkes' lone score of the night.

Junior John Musella took advantage of another Mustang power-play shortly after, scoring his third goal of the season via Smith and senior Aidan Graham. Smith now has 15 points on the season while Graham has 11.

The lone goal of the third period came late with the Colonels' net empty, and a long flip from Aiden Lindley made its way in for the Mustangs' fourth goal of the game.

Standing tall in net was junior Ford DeLoss, making 24 saves including nine in each of the second and third periods. For his efforts, DeLoss was named the 2025 MAC Men's Hockey tournament MVP.

In the circle, senior Dylan Florit led all players with 11 victories, followed by classmate Graeme McCrory with ten.

With their historic win, the Mustangs are slated to face off in their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance next Saturday, March 15. Stevenson will learn their opponent and game location on Monday, March 10th at 10 a.m. via the NCAA Division III Men's Hockey Tournament Selection Show.