INSTITUTE, W.Va. (March 13) – The Wheeling University volleyball team took him its eighth-straight Mountain East Conference title, as the Cardinals swept Fairmont State, 3-0, on Saturday night at the Walker Convocation Center.
 
The two teams split the regular season matchups this season, including Fairmont State snapping Wheeling's record for consecutive conference victories. However, it was Wheeling that won the final game of this spring season, 25-15, 25-16 and 25-19.
 
The Cardinals close out the spring season 11-2 overall and end a season with a win for the first-time since their 2015 National Championship season. The NCAA announced last fall that there would not be Division II Fall Championships played in the spring.
 
Freshman setter Karly Niesen (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon) led the offense setting 43 assists on the 48 kills. Junior Kayla Bekier (Northwood, Ohio/Lake) notched 18 kills, while junior Lexi Smith (Portsmouth, Ohio/Notre Dame) had 14. Senior libero Audrey Francis (Sidney, Ohio/Fairlawn) posted 16 digs to lead the defense.
 
Wheeling established an 11-3 lead to open the match and cruised to a 25-15 win in the first set. 
 
The Cardinals raced out to an 8-1 lead in the second set and led wire-to-wire in a 25-16 second set win.
 
Wheeling eventually built a 17-11 lead in the third set. Fairmont State notched four-straight points to get within two, but Head Coach Christy Benner's team went on a run to close out the match in three to secure the conference title.
 
The Cardinals (11-2) hit an impressive .350 in the match with 48 kills and just seven errors. Fairmont State hit .205 in the match with 40 kills and 16 errors. Each team had 56 digs and eight blocks, and Wheeling came up with five service aces in the match.
 
Amelia Moore had 11 kills to lead Fairmont State (10-3). Keara Lewis and Julia DiPaola each had nine. Lilliana Keber had 26 assists, and Bryce Knapp had 14 digs for the Falcons
 
All-Tournament Team
Macie Maggallon – Davis & Elkins
Jenna Dufresne – WV State
Julie DiPaola - Fairmont State 
Bryce Knapp - Fairmont State 
Lexi Smith - Wheeling 
Kayla Bekier  - Wheeling 
Audrey Francis  - Wheeling