Wheeling, W. Va. - After falling behind early in their first match of the Atlantic Region Crossover, the Wheeling University Volleyball team (5-4, 0-0) found a way to battle back and take the first game of the day 3-2 over Clarion. Things looked grim for the Cardinals early on, but they were able to turn things around and get over the .500 mark for the first time this season. 

Things didn't look good for the Cardinals early on, as they battled but couldn't get things going in the first two sets of the game. Their first set woes effected them again as they registered 10 kills on 37 total attacks, but had a hitting percentage of just .189. That would come back to bite them as they dropped that first set 25-21 and fell behind in the match 1-0. It would be another battle between the two teams in the second set, but in the end, Clarion proved too much and took a 2-0 lead with a 25-23 win. Things looked like they may be over quickly for Wheeling, but the tides started to turn in the third set. 

Clarion once again took the early advantage in set three, jumping out to a 9-5 lead early on. Wheeling would battle back to tie the game at 14-14 and things got worse when Clarion pushed their lead to 20-16. However, Wheeling would not go down without a fight, and scored nine of the final 10 points of the set to take a 25-21 set three win. It was their setter Karly Niesen () who served them to victory, putting together nine straight serves to seal the set three win. 

In set four, It was Wheeling that jumped out to the big lead, going ahead 6-2 in the early going of the set. They would increase their lead to as much as 11-5 and rode that momentum to a convincing 25-13 set win, and forced a fifth and final set to try and get their first home win of Fall 2021. They battled throughout the fifth set, going to a win-by-two scenario that went back and forth for eight straight points. In the end, it was Wheeling who would emerge victorious with a 20-18 win that moved them to 5-4 on the season. 

It was an all-around offensive attack as four different Cardinals led the way with 11 kills apiece. The highest hitting percentage came courtesy of Lexi Smith at .429, as she hammered down 11 kills on 21 total attacks to set a new season high. Riley Kindall, Maddy Winters, and Aly Finch each added 11 kills to pace the offensive effort. On the defensive side of the ball, Audrey Francis was all over the court with 37 digs and Karly Niesen led the way with 52 assists in the game. It was a team effort and it showed in this come from behind win. 

Game two is underway now as Wheeling is facing Bloomsburg University in the Alma Grace McDonough Center.