Wheeling, W. Va. – The Wheeling University Volleyball team (9-4, 0-0) went toe to toe with Ohio Dominican on Tuesday in the Alma Grace McDonough Center. It was back and forth throughout the match, but it was Wheeling who got the last laugh in a 3-2 win.
Wheeling showed off their hitting ability in the early parts of the game, jumping out to a 10-4 lead. They would keep that lead for most of the set, getting ahead by as much as 21-15. However, the Panthers battled back going on a 5-0 run to bring the score to 22-20. It would be Wheeling that would get the last laugh as Aly Finch got the kill to close out the set 25-22 to take a 1-0 lead in the match. The Cardinals had 14 kills on 42 total attacks in the set to begin the day.
Ohio Dominican would use the momentum from set one to motivate them in set two. They out killed Wheeling 15 to seven, and the Cardinals would commit five errors in the set, and the match was tied 1-1.  In the third set, Wheeling would be the aggressor picking up 14 kills and getting back on track with a 25-15. They fell behind 4-0 at the beginning of the set, but the Cardinals went on a 12-0 run to make it 13-4. Wheeling won the set 25-15 and led 2-1.
It went back and forth in that fourth set, and the game was tied at 14-14. Ohio Dominican would take the lead on a 10-4 run. To make it 24-18 and put the Cardinals on the ropes. Wheeling battled back to tie the game at 24-24 and force a win by two scenario, but Ohio Dominican won the set 26-24. It came down to a fifth and final set and took the early 2-1 lead. They would never look back and won the set 15- 9 to complete the 3&2 victory.
Freshman Riley Kindall led the way with 15 kills and senior Lexi Reinert added 11. The reigning Mountain East Conference (MEC) Defensive Player of the Week Audrey Francis once again led the defense with 37 digs and Karly Niesen finished with 50 assists. Wheeling now looks ahead to their MEC opener next week as they begin the road to their eighth straight title defense.

The Wheeling University Volleyball team is back in action on Tuesday, September 28^th, when they take on Fairmont State at 7 PM inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center.