FAIRMONT, W.Va. (Oct. 4) – The No. 20 Wheeling University volleyball team earned a 3-1 win over Fairmont State in a Mountain East Conference (MEC) match Friday evening at Joe Retton Arena.
 
THE RUNDOWN

• Final Score:  No. 20 Wheeling 3, Fairmont State 1 (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 25-15) Box Score 
• Records: Wheeling (12-3, 2-0 MEC) | Fairmont State (5-9, 0-2 MEC)
• Location: Joe Retton Arena – Fairmont, West Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cardinals couldn't shake the Falcons loose in the first set, but never trailed.
• The set was tied 22-22, before Wheeling notched consecutive kills from senior Haley Kramer (Norwalk, Ohio/Monroeville) to go ahead 24-22. 
• Haley and her twin sister Breanna Kramer (Norwalk, Ohio/Monroeville) notched a set-clinching block on the next rally to give the Cards a 1-0 lead.
• Fairmont led 13-10 in the second set, before the Cardinals rallied back and eventually took the set at 25-20 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
• The Falcons came out strong in the third set and limited the Cardinals to a .104 hitting percentage to earn a 25-17 win and force a fourth set.
• Wheeling responded with its strongest set in the match. The Cardinals posted 18 kills on 37 attacks with just two errors (.432 hitting percentage) to close out the win at 25-15.

WHEELING LEADERS

• Breanna Kramer led the way with 16 kills and 14 digs. She also chipped in two blocks and two assists.
• Junior Abby Strait (Bridgeport, W.Va./Bridgeport) chipped in 15 kills in the win, while sophomore Allonda Watkins (Beachwood, Ohio/Beachwood) posted 11 with a team-high five blocks.
• Senior Stephanie Sylvester (Oregon, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy) dished out 56 assists to go with 12 digs.
• Junior Audrey Francis (Sidney, Ohio/Fairlawn), the two-time defending MEC Defensive Player of the Week, led all players with 24 digs.

UP NEXT

• Wheeling closes out the weekend road trip with a visit to Maryland to take on Frostburg State in a MEC contest tomorrow, Saturday, October 5 at 2 p.m.
• Frostburg State is in its first year as a member of the MEC. The school is transitioning from Division III to Division II this year.