Wheeling, W. Va. - After outscoring opponents 196-20 in their first three games, the Wheeling University Rugby team (3-0) heads to South Euclid, Ohio, to take on Notre Dame College on Sunday at 1 PM. They have been able to use their speed and quickness to move the ball downfield and create scoring opportunities for several of their players.
Last time out, Wheeling got the chance to bring 15s play to Bishop Schmitt Field for the first time since the 2018 season. They sent the fans home happy, defeating West Virginia University 70-5 and not allowing the Mountaineers to score a try until the final minute of the game. Wheeling came out on fire, scoring 34 points in the first half, converting on six tries, and added 36 points in the second half to close out the victory.
One of the leaders for this season's team has been sophomore Ayoub Jalli (Casablanca, Morroco/Yassmine Oasis), who is second on the team in tries this season and added 21 points his season against WVU. Another big player for the Cardinals this season has been Mohammed Hadar (Marrakech, Morroco/Les Printemps), who scored six tries through his first two games of the season and added onto that last week. Both guys have been cornerstones for this team and have been big parts of the 196 points scored this season.
Even though his team has been successful so far this season, Head Coach Mike Geibel and his team aren't ready to sit back and become complacent. He wants his team to keep working and keep making improvements as the season moves along.
"I think we just have to keep working and not sit back on the success that we have had," said Geibel. "From here on out our difficulty builds week to week so we have to just continue to work and perfect the little things and work to keep our success."
The Match-up
Since the 2012 season, the Cardinals and Falcons have matched up six times, with Wheeling holding the advantage at 4-2. However, as of late, Notre Dame has begun to take the advantage, going 2-1 in the last three games between the two teams. When playing in South Euclid, Ohio, Wheeling has gone 1-2, with their last win at Notre Dame coming in the 2014 season.
The last time these two teams met, Notre Dame College would pick up a 48-5 win over the Cardinals. Wheeling has averaged 23.6 points per game in the previous six meetings between the two teams, and their last win came on October 22nd, 2017. Wheeling's explosive offense will look to make plays throughout the afternoon and put another one in the win column.
The Details
Dropkick for Sunday's game is scheduled for 1 PM at Mueller Field on the campus of Notre Dame College. You can watch the game live by clicking HERE.
