Women’s Soccer
Wheeling, W. Va. – Since the start of October, the Wheeling University Women’s Soccer team (3-8, 2-6) has been battling through the Mountain East Conference (MEC) South Division. They continue that run on Wednesday as they hit the road to take on West Virginia Wesleyan with kick-off at 7 PM. The Cardinals are looking to get back in the win column as they prepare to make the final push for one of the top four spots in the MEC North Division to qualify for the MEC Tournament.
Last time out, the Cardinals would take on the MEC South leading University of Charleston, and fell 9-1 on the road. Early on, the Cardinals went on the attack, taking the first shot of the game in the first minute of play. Wheeling’s first shot on net would be in the ninth minute, but by the 20 minute mark, Charleston already had four goals on their tally and led 5-0 heading into the break. As they came out for the second half, Charleston got on the board again in the first 30 seconds, and added three more goals over the first 32 minutes of the half. Wheeling would get on the board in the 77th minute, but that would be their lone goal of the day as they fell 9-1.
That lone Cardinal goal came courtesy of Talynn DeBartolo, who has heated up since the calendar turned to October. The senior scored her third goal over the last six games, and has made herself a bigger part of the Cardinal’s attack. Over that six-game span, DeBartolo has taken eight shots, putting three on goal, for a team-best .375 shooting percentage during that span. She is tied for third on the team in goals this season while sitting third in shots (15) and tied for third in points (6). DeBartolo is one of seven Cardinals to have appeared in all 11 games for the Cardinals this season and looks to add another element to the Cardinal offense down the stretch.
One change for the Cardinals that has helped them on offense has been moving Theresa Markwei up to the forward position. Interim Head Coach Ryan Wall made the move in the game against Concord, and the move paid dividends against Charleston. Markwei picked up her first career assist in the game, finding DeBartolo with the open pass and took a shot of her own on the day, putting it on goal. With Markwei moving up, Maira Alevato dropped back on defense, helping the Cardinal’s back line effort. That back line has been a strength for the Cardinals all season, and will be looked at to keep their goalkeepers clean as they make a push for the playoffs.
As they enter the final push for the playoffs, the Cardinals continue to hold on to the #3 spot in the MEC North Division. They hold a one-point lead over both West Liberty and Point Park, while sitting seven points behind Fairmont State for second and 16 points behind Frostburg State for the top spot in the division. As they wrap up the MEC South portion of their schedule, the Cardinals will be facing two teams battling for their own playoff spots in West Virginia Wesleyan and Glenville State, who sit fourth and fifth respectively in the division. A pair of wins would propel the Cardinals into the final divisional stretch as they try to claim their spot in the tournament.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Bobcats are meeting for the 34th time in program history on Wednesday, with West Virginia Wesleyan leading the all-time series at 24-7-2. Wheeling will be looking for their first win over the Bobcats since the 2017 season, and hold a 3-16 record when traveling to Buckhannon, West Virginia. Wheeling has been able to hold West Virginia Wesleyan to a tie twice in the last five meetings, and they are looking to get over the hump on Wednesday.
Their last meeting came on October 11th, 2023, in a game that would end in one of those ties at 1-1. It was a big day for goalkeeper Olivia Kqira, who finished with seven saves on eight shots faced to preserve the tie. On offense, former Cardin Phepha Seopa scored the lone Cardinal goal, while Mary DiFonzo picked up the assist on the day. Wheeling outshot West Virginia Wesleyan 14-10 in the meeting and are looking to bring the offense Wednesday night.
The Details
Kick-off for Wednesday night’s match is scheduled for 7 PM inside Culpepper Stadium on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE or follow along with Live Stats by clicking HERE.
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