SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. (Oct. 19) - The No. 20 Wheeling Jesuit University volleyball team earned a 3-1 (25-16, 27-25, 21-25, 25-21) win over Shepherd in a Mountain East Conference (MEC) match Friday night.

The Cardinals improve to 23-3 overall, 10-0 in the MEC, and open up a three-game lead in the conference standings. Meanwhile, the Rams fall 8-3 in the MEC, 19-6 overall.

Sophomore Cassie Meyer (Jackson Center, Ohio/Jackson Center) led the team with 20 kills and 19 digs, while junior Haley Kramer (Norwalk, Ohio/Monroeville) added 18 kills and three blocks. Redshirt-sophomore Breanna Kramer (Norwalk, Ohio/Monroeville) also recorded double-digit kills with 11 in the win.

Junior Stephanie Sylvester (Oregon, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy) tossed around 54 assists to guide the offense, while sophomore Audrey Francis led the defense with 30 digs. Francis also added a season-high seven assists in the win.

The opening set went back-and-forth, before a spurt of seven-straight points allowed the Cardinals to build a 16-8 lead. The Rams managed to chip into the lead, but not before a kill by freshman Allonda Watkins (Beachwood, Ohio/Beachwood) closed out the set at 25-16.

The Cardinals looked poised to close out the second set when they established a 22-17 lead. Shepherd managed to rally back with seven of the next nine points, including a three-straight after trailing 24-22 to take a 25-24 lead. WJU's Haley Kramer notched the next two points to regain the lead, before an attack error by the Rams allowed the Cards to claim a 27-25 win and a two-set advantage in the match.

Shepherd broke through in the third set to get onto the scoreboard. The set was tied at 17, but a five-straight points by the Rams opened up a lead and allowed the hosts to earn a 25-21 win.

Wheeling Jesuit closed the match out in the fourth set with a big run towards the end. The score was tied at 19 when the Cardinals recorded the next four points to build a 23-19 lead. The two squads traded points, before a kill by Meyer at 24-21 put the finishing touches on the Cardinals' 10th MEC win this season.

Wheeling Jesuit is back on the court tomorrow, Saturday, October 20 when they travel to Fairmont, West Virginia to take on Fairmont State at 5 p.m.