ST. CLOUD, Minn. (Sept. 14) – The No. 14 Wheeling University volleyball team opened the day with a 3-2 win over Bemidji State, before falling to host-St. Cloud State 3-0 on the final day of the St. Cloud State Invitational Saturday night.

THE RUNDOWN

• Final Score Match 1:  No. 14 Wheeling 3, Bemidji State 2 (25-22, 18-25, 25-17, 21-25, 15-12) Box Score 
• Final Score Match 2:  St. Cloud State 3, No. 14 Wheeling 0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-21) Box Score
• Records: Wheeling (5-3) | Bemidji State (2-4) | St. Cloud State (8-0)
• Location: Halenbeck Hall – St. Cloud, Minnesota

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. Bemidji State

• The Cardinals and Beavers traded points throughout the set, with neither team leading by more than three points at any time.
• With the score squared at 21-21, the Cardinals closed out the set with four of the next five points, including a block and a kill from sophomore Allonda Watkins (Beachwood, Ohio/Beachwood) on the team's last two points to clinch the win.
• The second set was just as tightly contested, but the script flipped on Wheeling. With the score tied at 17-17, the Beavers went on a 8-1 run to tie the match up at one set apiece.
• The Cardinals held the lead throughout the third set and finished strong with a 25-17 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• Bemidji State answered back with a fourth set win at 25-21 to send the match to a decisive fifth set.
• The fifth set was at 8-7 when the teams traded sides. Bemidji State led 11-10, when Wheeling notched five of the match's final six points to secure the victory. 

TEAM LEADERS

• Junior Breanna Kramer (Norwalk, Ohio/Monroeville) finished with 15 kills, 20 digs and three blocks in the win. She also had a service ace.
• Junior Cassie Meyer (Jackson Center, Ohio/Jackson Center) led Wheeling with 18 kills.
• Senior Haley Kramer (Norwalk, Ohio/Monroeville) posed 15 kills on 31 attacks (.323 hitting percentage).
• Senior setter Stephanie Sylvester (Oregon, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy) dished out 60 assists and 17 digs.
• Junior Audrey Francis (Sidney, Ohio/Fairlawn) tallied a match-best 27 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. St. Cloud State

• The host-Huskies limited the Cardinals to 31 kills in the three-set sweep.
• Wheeling battled in the third set and was tied with St. Cloud State at 16-16.
• The Huskies managed to pull away and claimed a 25-21 set win to close out a 3-0 win in the match.

MATCH NOTES

• Junior Abby Strait (Bridgeport, W.Va./Bridgeport) led the Cardinals with nine kills in the setback.
• Francis finished the match with 22 digs on defense.
• St. Cloud State finished with 11 aces in the match.

UP NEXT

• Wheeling will return home for the first time this year when it hosts the Atlantic Region Crossover at the McDonough Center on Friday and Saturday, September 20-21.
• The Cardinals will play four matches over two days, beginning on Friday, September 20 when they take on Clarion at 3 p.m.
• The contest will be a rematch of the NCAA Tournament Atlantic Region Semifinal match between the two squads.
• Wheeling won that match 3-0.