Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Volleyball team (23-5, 14-1) kicked off the final week of Mountain East Conference (MEC) play when they hosted Alderson Broaddus on Tuesday. There was a trio of Cardinal hitters with double-digit kills in the game, and they combined to lead Wheeling to a 3-0 sweep in front of their home fans.

Right from the start, those hitters made their presence felt as they got out to a 13-5 lead over the first 17 points of the set. Senior Kayla Bekier was the first to get going, firing off three kills during that run to give the Cardinals the lead. The Battlers battled throughout the set, but Wheeling took the set 25-13 and led the match 1-0. Wheeling featured a .438 hitting percentage in that first set and did not have a hitting percentage less than .420 at any point in the match. Together with their setter Karly Niesen, the offense would continue to lead the way throughout the match.

The second set started out much like the first set with Wheeling once again growing a big lead early. Only this time, it was a combination of freshman Riley Kindall and senior Lexi Smith leading the charge with three kills apiece on a 14-5 run to start the set. As the set went on, Wheeling was able to draw from some of their depth, who picked up right where the others left off. Sophomore Tylah Yeomans and senior Kaitlin Trace-Lindemer each picked up two kills in the final 11 Wheeling points of the set, and the Cardinals would win 25-13 and held a 2-0 match lead. In the third set, more of Wheeling's depth was featured and they continued to succeed.

The Cardinals built a 23-4 lead throughout the third set, with many players getting the chance for their first appearances of the season. After Yeomans added three more kills to her ledger, freshman Shelby James and Lindsey James each subbed in for the first time in 2021. Sophomore Alyson Cunningham soon followed and would end up being the one who put the game away. With the set sitting at 24-6, Cunningham picked up her first collegiate kill as she scored the Cardinals match point and helped them pick up the 3-0 sweep.

There was a trio of Cardinals that finishes the day with double-digit kills to lead the offense. Bekier and Kindall each had 11 kills in the match, while Smith finished with 10 kills and a very impressive .833 hitting percentage on the night. Niesen added 43 assists in the game as she continues to build on her Division II lead in assists this season. Senior Audrey Francis was the only Cardinal with double-digit digs on the day, finishing with 24, while freshman Chylyn Pate added a career-high seven digs for herself in the match. It was a big team win for the Cardinals as they get ready to face their rivals later this week.

The Wheeling University Volleyball team is back in action on Friday when they host rival West Liberty, with tip-off at 7 PM.